Backstab
by FireflyCity
Summary: Au fic-Babydoll lives in the world her mind created before she got lobotomized. She and SweetPea manage to escape, but find themselves facing new and old dangers in the real world. Soon they find out some secrets are meant to be kept, even if they are dangerous... SweetPeaxOc
1. The Fifth Thing

Backstab

Chapter 1: The Fifth Thing

**FireflyCity: This is my very first fanfiction, on one of my favorite action movies of 2011, Sucker Punch. She will probably refuse it, but I must give A LOT of the story credit to my good friend Chaos of a Butterfly (Wolfie), who fed me many of the main ideas of this story, which I will not reveal only for the sake of the plot. **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY of the characters and aspects of Sucker Punch. I only own the idea. Also, my friend Wolfie-chan (ChaosofaButterfly) owns the character Tyler Summers.**

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(Continued from where Babydoll and SweetPea are discussing how to get past the High Roller)

_Babydoll's POV_

"Now what? There's no way of getting past without them seeing us," SweetPea stated grimly, looking out over the group standing between us and the exit.

They were all tall, well-dressed men, each of them wearing a sly smile as if they were already picturing the spectacles to be brought on by the upcoming performance. I scowled, unable to withhold my disgust for such ignominious creatures. Searching their faces, it wasn't long before I recognized the high roller positioned in the center of their circle, making easy conversation to pass the time. My scowl turned into a shudder as I watched him, so arrogant and confident in his stance, his brazen head held high.

Tearing my gaze from him, I scanned the driveway, desperately searching for a way to sneak past the men. However, there was almost no cover, for the hedges we now bowed beneath stopped several feet from the iron gates. And simply waiting for them to leave was also out of the question, we had little time before someone noticed our absence, and we couldn't afford to waste this small window of opportunity.

Quickly running out of options, I bit my lip, doubt beginning to worm its way into my mind. Was it possible that the old man had been wrong, that we were never truly meant to escape in the first place? It had been a small miracle that we'd managed this far, SweetPea had said herself that none of the other girls had even come close to freedom. But… that was why they had to escape. For everyone who no longer could.

It was in this moment that it hit me, the old man's words coming back to me in a rush. _The first thing you need is a map, Then fire, Then a knife, and a key._ _The fifth is a mystery... Know that it will be a deep sacrifice, and a perfect victory. _Suddenly, here, in the last leg of our escape, the fifth thing became clear. "The fifth thing…" I echoed, my hands trembling.

"What?" SweetPea stumbled, breathless with fear and confusion. "Fifth thing? I thought you said we only needed four."

I shook my head, trying to cope with the revelation that just hit me. "The wise man said that we needed five things in order to escape. He told me the first four, but he said the last was a mystery." I took a breath. "SweetPea, it's me. I'm the fifth thing."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm the last thing we need in order for you to escape. I'll distract the men, and then you can sneak away. It's your story. You were always the strongest of all of us, you're the one who must escape, "I insisted, fresh tears gathering in my eyes.

"What, Baby no! Without you I would have never made it this far, we would have never even come close. We have to do this together…. or not at all," SweetPea pleaded, holding me tightly in her arms as if she couldn't bear letting me go.

"There's no other way!" I wrestled out of her grasp, beginning to walk into sight. Before I could get more than a step she yanked back my wrist, pulling me into cover.

"Wait, please, I'm not going to let you give yourself up for me. Remember we still have the knife." SweetPea reached and pulled out the blade, where it glinted in the faint light.

"But what about the fifth item? We won't be able to escape without it."

For a moment, she hesitated, doubt clouding her eyes. Then suddenly, I watched a realization slowly dawned on her. "The fifth item isn't you…it's both of us. We can distract them together, and we can get out together."

"But…How?"

"I have an idea…"SweetPea broke off, hesitating as if she was still considering the thought. "It's just like how we got the other objects; if you dance you can distract them long enough for me to get behind them, and when no one is looking I can stab the high roller. While he recovers we can escape." She explained, clutching the knife.

"But we can't-"

"It's the only way we can get out of here."

I stopped short. Rocket had said the same thing when they began to uncover our plan. Knowing what failure would cost us, she still insisted that we had to escape, no matter the consequences.

I swallowed my doubts, before nodding at SweetPea. We had to do this. If not for us... for Rocket, and Blondie and Amber, and everyone else who had gave their lives trying to escape.

Gathering all the courage I could muster I rose to my feet, stepping from our hiding place and into plain view. I was aware of SweetPea's eyes on me as I walked towards them, and I could almost feel her wince when the high roller spotted me. A curious smile spread across his face as he observed me, his eyes roaming casually over my petite body.

"Hey honey. You shouldn't be out here; you should be inside with all the other pretty little ladies." His words were meant to be soothing, rolling off his tongue seductively. But instead of relaxing, I only felt myself grow more tense.

The high roller himself was not someone you would see and think of as any sort of evil. He even looked...nice. His hair was dark brown and cut short, not a buzz cut but just thick enough to cover all of his head without leaving a single bald spot or gray hair. His somewhat muscular build was accented by an expensive-looking gray suit, again free of any noticeable imperfection. But what stood out the most about him was his smile, some sort of mix between a kind grin and a challenging smirk.

But beneath the smile I could see something darker, something...more. He was a smart man, you'd have to be if you were the head of a mental institute that was a secretly a brothel. He was a man who was used to getting what he wanted, one who knew exactly how to get it as well.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw SweetPea shift slightly, my hesitation clearly making her uncomfortable. Not wasting another moment, I locked my eyes with the high roller's. It was now or never.

In a moment I felt my mind departing, and I slowly started to sway side to side. My eyes fell closed.

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**Wolfie: You almost forgot you buffoon! Please R&R people!**

**FireflyCity: Yes! Please rate and comment everyone… or else I will kill Wolfie-chan and she will not be able to update! Mwahaha!**

**Wolfie: Avoir! Goodbye, beloved people! I have little faith….obviously…PLEASE REVIEW I WANNA FINISH MY STORIES!**


	2. The Last Dance

Backstab

Chapter 2: The Last Dance

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My eyelids fluttered open. I was standing on the outskirts of a large city, where tall skyscrapers were silhouetted against a blood red sky. Many of the towers were crumbling or on fire, their smoke rising in giant gray spirals to the sky. To the west, a large crimson sun hung limply in the sky, its light choked by an ash-filled sky. It hung low above the ground, casting long shadows along the bare shrubbery where I now stood.

Off my right shoulder, SweetPea stood beside me on the rise, her expression unreadable. Unlike in the courtyard, her face was perfectly composed, not the slightest trace of fear or hesitation to be seen. Her skin-tight, slutty work clothes had also been traded in for her signature black cape, the hood pulled loosely over her wild blonde hair. In her hands, she wielded to identical hand pistols, both loaded as if she expected the enemy to appear at any second. I imagined I looked similar, in my simple black sailor outfit and black hairband. While I'm sure there were plenty of more practical outfits to wear in combat, when you were in control of the dream, you could wear whatever the hell you wanted.

Distracted by this thought, I barely noticed when SweetPea took a step forward, her eyes focusing on something in the distant city. Following her gaze, it wasn't more than a moment before I recognized the source of a fascination, a tall building in the exact center of the city. Said building was the only one untouched by the devastation, and it seemed to loom menacingly over the rest of the city. Its faces composed entirely of windows; it was quite a sight to behold, especially in the light of the setting sun. However, the most magnificent trait of the building was a giant metal spike the jutted out from the top of the building, reaching so high that its tip plunged into the dust clouds above.

"What is it?" she mumbled thoughtfully, echoing my own thoughts.

"That, is your next destination," a familiar voice suddenly spoke, and we turned to see the wise man standing on the rise behind us. As usual, he was dressed in a simple, gray-green military coat, decorated with medals and other such badges. His smile was welcoming, though it failed to reach his eyes. "I'm glad to see you two have made it this far. I know it hasn't been a difficult journey." Here he looked at SweetPea, sympathy evident in his gaze. She didn't meet his eyes.

He nodded slightly, choosing not to press. "Now, it's time for the last leg of your escape. In 20 minutes our enemies will be holding a meeting inside that tower to discuss the current state of the war. In that same meeting a very influential and radical general is going to propose a plan, one that will inevitably lead to the downfall of us all. It is imperative that you infiltrate the structure and take him out before he can share his plan with the other members. The tower is heavily armed and has a tight security system, so you must be careful to take him out before he realizes what we are planning." he paused, dropping the commanding tone and looking at each of us earnestly. "I should warn you, once you take out the general, there's no going back. You two will be on your own. You can trust no one but each other, and you must be careful, for things are not always what they seem." He paused and looked at each of us. "Are you ready?"

I glanced towards SweetPea, and we exchanged a quick nod. "We're ready."

"Alright then," he stepped aside, revealing two top-of-the-line Suzuki motorcycles. "You'll need these to reach the general."

Smirking to one another, we each claimed a vehicle, shoving in the keys and revving our engines.

The man nodded slightly, seemingly resisting the urge to grin as well. "Remember; always trust your instincts, for they are your most valuable tool. And when your instincts fail you, you will always have each other."

On this last note, we took off, streaming across open landscape and towards the city. How I learned to ride a motorcycle I have no idea, but soon we were flying, leaving huge clouds of dust in our wake. For a few minutes it was just us on the open landscape, the sound of the engines roaring in our ears. As we neared the city limits, we noticed a tall, electric fence bordering it, snapping slightly as bolts of electricity zipped through the metal rods. Without hesitation we plowed through it, our tires screeching as they connected with paved roads.

We easily doubled the speed limit, swerving through lanes of heavily packed traffic on route to the tower. Nearing max speed, the city passed by in a blur, blaring horns and police sirens trailing us wherever we went. In fact, our reckless driving even caused a few collisions, which did nothing to help our newfound notoriety with the city. Yet we still pressed on, understanding that we couldn't play it safe without jeopardizing the mission at hand.

Gradually approaching the heart of the metropolis, traffic thinned out, as if simply driving past the fortress was a crime. However, as the tower came into full view, we could see why people chose to avoid it. The whole thing was surrounded by several armed sentinels, who manned every likely entrance into the building. They scanned the streets like hawks, careful to always keep a hand on the trigger.

SweetPea and I slowed as we reached the sidewalk, idling to a stop in front of the building's main entry. Cautiously sliding off our cycles, we strolled to the front doors, receiving hostile looks from the guards. Similar to the first people we fought; the guards were clockwork-zombies, the carcasses of fallen warriors made to run on a series of gears and springs. Still, they walked and talked like they were alive, and did not appreciate us so casually approaching the tower.

"Verloren gehen!" one yelled with a deep, throaty voice, waving his gun threateningly.

I didn't know what he said, but the message was clear. _Stay away_. Before they could react, I reached behind me and pulled out an AK 47, firing rounds. SweetPea lunged for the double pistols, her fingers a blur as bullets exploded from the handguns. In mere seconds we were standing over a pile of bodies, reloading a fresh magazine into our weapons. Suddenly, alarms blazed throughout the building, security doors beginning to descend over the doors and windows.

"Hurry!" SweetPea yelled, and ran for the main entrance. With the emergency doors closing at an alarming speed, we had to dive for the door, barely pulling ourselves inside before the metal gates slammed behind us.

Gathering our wits, we hoisted each other up, quickly observing our new surroundings. We were now in a dismal, blue lobby that reminded me greatly of the halls of Lennox house, with a long, oak front counter equipped with a check-in book and a telephone. To the left of the desk was an elevator; the old, squeaky kind that was every claustrophobic's nightmare. To the right of the desk was a thick yellowish door, marked with a picture of a jagged line and a stick figure climbing up it.

Looking around the empty lobby, SweetPea motioned towards the elevator. I shook my head. "They'll hear us coming," I said, picturing them cutting the elevator support ropes, and SweetPea and I falling to our death.

As if reading my mind, SweetPea winced. "Let's take the stairs."

Pushing open the pale yellow door, we hit the staircase, taking them two at a time. Our footsteps echoed in the stairwell, and soon it became the only sound beside that of our own breathing. After a few flights I felt my legs already beginning to ache, my heartbeat quickening as I forced myself to continue moving forward. Just as I began to slow down I registered hurried shouts cried above us, followed by the clap of heavy footsteps.

"More coming!" SweetPea called breathlessly, seconds before we turned a corner to face a swarm of guards a flight above us. In a heartbeat we emptied our weapons, slowly advancing up the stairs as they came at us. They moved in a confused mass, a few breaking away from the others in an attempt to take us out themselves, though they were quickly shot and dropped to the ground.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a soldier lunged from the mass, wielding two twin daggers aimed for our hearts. We dodged, and I hurriedly evaded blows while SweetPea struggled to cover me from the others. Inspired by the one guard's brave act, they began rising up, and SweetPea was thrashing desperately to fight them off. Meanwhile, I ducked and fainted, watching with satisfaction as the soldier's daggers swiped empty air.

Then pain shot through my arm as one of his blades caught me, and I let out a gasp of agony as it buried itself in my skin. I grunted as I yanked the knife out of my forearm, throwing it out of reach and listening to it clatter down the stairs. Anger bubbled up inside me, and with a tremendous screech I grabbed the soldiers head in my hand, slamming it into the concrete wall in a death blow.

"You okay?" SweetPea asked worriedly, not taking her eyes off the advancing enemies.

"Fine," I said quickly, shoving in a new magazine.

In an instant I fell behind SweetPea again, and we continued advancing up the stairs. Their numbers were seemingly endless, and every time we reached a new flight we were faced with a new mob of soldiers, each group more gutsy and desperate than the last. But we kept fighting, covering each other's weak points so we were practically untouchable.

Eventually we mounted the last flight of stairs, and found ourselves face to face with a door. Unlike the others we had passed on the way up, this one was made out of a thick iron, and was adorned with a small black plate that read: B-43 Top Floor. A small keypad was mounted where the doorknob should have been, and asked in small electronic letters for us to "insert password here".

Frowning, I approached the door, placing my hand on its cold surface. Off my left shoulder, SweetPea eyed the keypad warily, before turning her attention back to the door.

"Could we kick it down?" SweetPea asked slowly, as if judging the amount of force it would require to break the bolts on a door this big.

I shook my head. "There's no way, and unless we know the password I seriously doubt we're going to make it in this way."

For a moment, SweetPea said nothing, scanning the door desperately as if trying to find a way to prove me wrong. Soon a look of frustration took over her face, and she slammed her fist into the iron face. "No, this isn't fair. I didn't come all this way to be stopped by a _door_." She breathed, baring her teeth.

"SweetPea calm down, we'll find another way in." I assured her, though I was doubtful myself. Exhaling, I thoughtfully scanned the area around the door, looking for something that would inspire an idea. And then, I found it.

"The vents," I said slowly, pointing to the inconspicuous metal duct mounted just above the door.

"What?" SweetPea blinked, caught off guard by my comment.

I pointed, watching as she slowly caught on to what I was implying. "Assuming these vents connect to every room in the building, we should be able to use them to sneak into the conference room without being seen."

Examining the vent, SweetPea looked hesitant, though a small ray of hope had begun to illuminate her gray face. "It could be risky," she began slowly; "if someone discovers us then there's little chance of us getting away. But at the same time, if we pull it off…" She faded, glancing back and forth between me and the vent. Then, she sighed. "It's worth a shot."

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**A/N: Please review! Oh and thanks to all you readers out there! **


	3. Breaking Out

Backstab

Chapter 3: Breaking Out

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A few minutes later I was inside the vent, huddling in the shadows as SweetPea made her way through the opening. It was a bit of a tight fit, but by shifting our bodies around a bit we managed to get into a semi-comfortable crawling position, one that involved placing our knees and elbows on the floor of the shaft and pressing our backs against the ceiling. Not exactly roomy, but it was manageable. As SweetPea closed the grate behind her I felt myself shiver ever so slightly, still not used to the feel of the cold metal against my bare skin.

Thankfully it wasn't long before SweetPea had finished securing the gate, shifting her limbs so as to turn her body back towards me.

"Come on." She prompted softly, "We should get moving before more guards arrive."

Nodding, I spun away from the light, feeling my way through the darkness in what I hoped was the right general direction. Though it had started out relatively narrow, the vent seemed to widen out a bit as we went on, and there soon became enough room to comfortably crawl on our hands and knees. However, even with the newfound breathing room, the vent was still bathed in darkness, so our trek was painfully slow and confusing.

Cautiously leading the way, I navigated us through the maze of metal walls, feeling my way with outstretched hands and trying to make as little noise as humanly possible. But even the sound of our breathing was magnified in here, bouncing off the walls until it reverberated through what seemed like the entire network of vents.

Quite a few times as we traveled, we heard angry shouts and shuffling noises beneath us, which undoubtedly belonged to the remaining soldiers still searching for us. And each of those times, we would stop short, not moving an inch until all was quiet again.

By some miracle we weren't discovered, and eventually reached the vent overlooking the meeting room. Slowly approaching the grate, I felt my heart begin to hammer in my chest, and I prayed that I was the only one who could hear it. As I inched forward, I saw the meeting room gradually came into view.

The room was dimly lit, with only one long, ceiling fixture providing light for the entire room. The floor of the room was almost completely occupied by a long, thin table, which was decorated with official-looking papers and cold, clenched hands. Spaced evenly around the table were the owners of said hands, all of them holding a note of pride and power in the way they sat.

And sitting with his back to us, only a few feet from the vent, was the high roller himself. He was speaking confidently to those gathered, shouting long speeches in an unfamiliar language. These speeches were always followed by a loud chorus of applause and congratulations from the other officials.

I looked back at SweetPea. "He's distracted, at least for the moment. And since the meeting is still so cheery I doubt that the guards have informed them of our presence yet." I whispered softly, shifting so she had a clear view of the high roller.

She nodded. "I'd say that we're lucky, but that means they can easily barge in any minute." Hesitantly, I saw her reach for a thick black belt slung around her mid-stomach, pulling from it a long silver dagger. Unlike the lowly cook's knife from the real world, this one was a professional hunting knife, designed with jagged edges designed to tear through flesh.

"Is this… really the only way?" Her voice was heavy with regret as she looked at the knife. "We can't just..."

I felt my expression soften slightly. "You don't have to kill him, just wound him enough that we have a distraction."

SweetPea looked down at the knife, wincing as if imagining blood that would soon coat its sleek exterior.

"For Rocket," I urged her, looking deep into her eyes.

She hesitated for just a moment longer before nodding in agreement. "For Rocket." Switching positions with her, I watched as she slowly approached the vent, the knife gleaming in her hand.

_Please,_ I prayed to anyone listening, watching as she slowly removed the bolt from the grate. _Don't let her fail. _

With that, SweetPea suddenly burst through the air vent with a screech, her dagger held high above her head in the beginnings of a deadly downward arch. Before anyone could register what was happening, she swung at the high roller.

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SweetPea stepped back, wrenching the kitchen knife out of the man's back with a spray of blood. In an instant the high roller cried out, doubling over in pain and hugging his arms to his chest. Snapping out of their trance, his men began surrounding him anxiously, frantically trying to find out what had happened. None of them were paying attention to either me or SweetPea.

In the middle of the courtyard, I was breathing loud and hard, so much so that I barely heard SweetPea cry for me. She was sprinting for the gate, her gaze shifting quickly between me and the high roller. Exhausted as I was, I immediately ran after her, just as the high roller recovered enough to command some of his men after us. With shaking hands we shoved the key into the lock, grabbing the gate together and yanking it open. Like specters we slipped through, thrusting the gate back into place a second before the high roller's men slammed against it.

"You worthless whores!" they screeched, flailing their arms through gaps in the iron in an attempt to grab us. "Open up this god damn gate right now or-"

Their cursing was cut short as the high roller shambled over, still wincing in pain. A blood stain was beginning to form on the back of his suit, but the cut wasn't deep. Scanning our faces, his eyes quickly locked with mine, widening slightly in recognition.

"So… it's you," he growled slowly, speaking only to me. I instinctively took a step back.

Her smirked slightly. "Blue told me you were feisty, but I never _imagined_…" He was breathing heavily through the pain, his eyes streaked with anger. "But you can't just run away… little doll. Really, what did you think, that you could just run away from everything, and live… like a normal person?" he laughed maniacally, before shifting his gaze towards both of us. "You may be out, but you haven't escaped yet. Trust me. This is just the beginning."

Shocked and horrified by his dark threat, SweetPea and I backed away slowly, unable to look away from his cold, furious gaze. And when we did we ran, ran and never looked back.

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**A/N: Review if you haven't already (and even then!). Thank you to all the Sucker Punch fans out there. Keep on reading! **


	4. Voices in the Night

Backstab

Chapter 4: Voices in the Night

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We ran for hours, skimming the outskirts of town and ducking into alleyways with every passerby. We moved quickly, but I couldn't get far enough from the Lennox house. There were too many hardships hidden behind those iron gates, so many meaningless deaths. The high roller said we would never escape, but he was wrong. We were free, and we were never going back.

As evening began cloud the horizon, I felt exhaustion tugging at my limbs, pleading me for just five seconds of rest. But I couldn't stop, and no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't let my body get the best of me. The pain I felt now was nothing compared that which I had experienced in the last few days, and I was not about to slow down for a few aching limbs.

"Baby!" SweetPea's cry pulled me back to reality, causing me to halt abruptly and nearly fall flat on my face. She was stopped a few hundred yards back, her hands on her knees as she attempted to regain control of her breathing. In a heartbeat I was at her side, grasping her hand in mine as I helped her stand upright.

"Come on SweetPea, we have to keep going," I urged her between breaths. Despite my own determination, I didn't want to admit how good it felt to not be moving, if only for these couple seconds.

"No, Baby we need to rest. If we keep going any longer I'll faint." She admitted, grimacing.

For a moment I just looked at her, my need to escape and desire to help my friend battling for control of my actions. Glancing around the street, I found an empty alleyway, hiding in the shadow of a gray commercial building.

"Come on, let's stop there for a little," I motioned to the opening. "Do you think you can make it?"

Judging the distance, she nodded, cautiously taking on her whole weight once again. Slowly, we made our way into the shade, collapsing in the dirt and breathing heavily. Now that we were stopped, I could feel the full extent of my pain, and I winced under the weight of it.

I heard SweetPea shift slightly. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked worriedly, bringing her face closer to mind.

I nodded. "I'll be fine."

We stayed like that for a while, nursing our wounds and thanking god that we had made it out alive. A few times I gathered up the will to inspect the nearby streets, checking our surroundings to make sure we weren't in danger. But each scout turned up nothing, for which I was incredibly thankful.

However, on the forth check I found something alarming, quickly ducking my head back into the shadows and holding my breath. A young cop was cruising slowly down the block, carelessly stapling bright pink fliers on every other telephone pole throughout the town. Though I couldn't read the flyers from my position, I had a bad feeling about what was on them. Waiting until he was out of sight, I ran out on the street, grabbing one hastily. Trembling, I began reading.

'**WANTED**' it advertised in large print. _The two young women below have escaped from the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane; Brattleboro, Vermont. They are wanted by the police for questioning regarding 3 murders, 2 attempted murders, and destruction of property__. WARNING: These women are considered armed and extremely dangerous. If you see them, or have any information that might lead to their present location, please contact the police immediately at the following number.__ (802) 313-8974_

Below the number were two black and white pictures, side by side like mug shots. I yanked off the poster without giving them a glance. I didn't need to. Returning to the alley, I handed SweetPea the slightly wrinkled paper, watching her expression as she looked over it.

"No way," she declared angrily. "This is insane! We didn't murder anybody, and you could hardly call being in possession of a knife being 'armed and dangerous'!"

I shook my head angrily. "It doesn't matter what the truth is, Blue will make sure that all the public sees is his lies."

She growled slightly, subconsciously closing her hand around the paper until it was condensed into a ball. Wordlessly I took it from her hand, stuffing it into a nearby trash can.

"Come on," I offered her a hand up "we need to get out of this city as soon as possible."

Helping her to her feet, we continued onward, tearing down any posters we saw and disposing of them the first chance we got. By the time night fell on the city I could have sworn we'd taken down over a hundred, and both SweetPea and I were exhausted. We hadn't eaten since that morning, and we had barely stopped for a breath once in the last few hours. But determination and fear kept us going. We knew that no matter what we couldn't go back, and we couldn't let Blue find us.

It was around this time that we had started to leave the heart of the city, and I could feel our freedom getting closer and closer with each step we took. Then, as we were approaching an intersection, a car swung around the corner, catching us in the blazing spotlight if its fog lights. But it wasn't just any car. Honking, the police officer slammed on his breaks.

"Hey you kids!" he yelled angrily, shaking his fist. However, he stopped as he got a closer look at us. His eyes widened with shock and horror as he registered our faces, before fumbling for his dispatcher. "Th-This is police car 0165; I got the two runaways on the intersection of Jerald and Gaylee." He was talking in a rush, repeatedly glancing back and forth between us and his radio. "Requesting backup immediately."

"Run," I said quickly, as he began to climb out of the car. "Run!" We spun around and headed back down the street which I assumed to be Jerald.

"Stop! Hold it!" yelled the cop, climbing back into the car and switching on his sirens. Although we had already put a good 100 yards between us, it wasn't nearly far enough. In a matter of moments he had matched our pace, preparing to speed ahead and cut off our escape route.

Just before he could SweetPea grabbed my arm, yanking me into the safety of a narrow alley to our right. Behind us, I heard the police car screech to a stop, before the officer climbed out and began huffing after us. Lucky for us it was trash night, so we managed to lose him by knocking about 10 or so silver bins in his path.

But his requested backup was coming, and the whole city suddenly seemed alive with the wail of sirens. I knew immediately that we couldn't keep this up for much longer; the exhaustion from our earlier travels was already slowing our pace. SweetPea was also beginning to limp badly.

For a while we ran aimlessly, stopping alarmingly often for rests. In a dark corner of an incredibly tiny alley, SweetPea and I took a quick breather, exchanging a tired glance. Nothing needed to be said, plus we couldn't waste the breath.

"Do you by any chance need some help?"

I froze. The voice that spoke was not SweetPea's. Looking around frantically, I scanned the alley for any source of life, my eyes settling on a dark figure a few feet from us.

"We don't need-" SweetPea began, but stopped when a pair of red and blue lights illuminated the wall to her left.

The figure nodded its understanding. "Follow me." Silently, the figure took off down the opposite end of the alley, disappearing around the corner before we could say another word. Behind us, cops began piling out of the car, obviously intending to search our current hideaway. After exchanging another glance, we followed the figure.

It led us through countless alleyways, zigzagging across abandoned side streets and back roads. Unlike SweetPea and my directionless wandering, there was a sort of pattern to the figure's quick movements, as if it was incredibly familiar with navigating through the city's backroads. Though, I wasn't sure of this knowledge should fill me with concern or relief.

We ran like this for a while, before stopping suddenly in the shadow of a short brick building. When this happened I gasped slightly, digging my heels into the ground to avoid running into our guide. Behind me, I heard SweetPea do the same.

I could have sworn I saw the figure smirk.

"What now?" SweetPea demanded, her voice sharp with surprise and frustration.

In answer to her question, the figure pulled back a few loose bricks at the foot of the building, revealing a small hole dug partially into the ground. Without looking back, it crawled inside.

After a moment of hesitation, we crawled in after it.

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	5. Underworld Dreams

Backstab

Chapter 5: Underworld Dreams

Oo0oO

Darkness consumed me the moment I entered the gap, and I felt it rush over me with a wave of cold, musty air. Unlike the shadows of the city above, this darkness managed to feel heavier somehow, and I got the instinctive feeling that something was going to jump out and attack me. Swinging my arms out in front of me, I took a tentative step forward, my eyes struggling to adapt to the dramatic change in lighting.

Behind me, I heard the dull clatter of rocks skidding across the ground, before something warm hit me from behind.

"Sorry," I heard SweetPea exclaim hurriedly, her voice tinged with the slightest trace of fear. That was the problem with humans and darkness. The suffocating of our most valuable sense tended to heighten our imaginations, our minds altering reality into some horrid, twisted version of the truth. It was in this way that shrubs became snakes, that slopes became small cliffs, and anything living became an instant threat.

"Don't worry, it's just me," I responded comfortingly, for my own benefit as much as hers. Somewhere behind me, I heard her sigh in relief.

"Where are we?" SweetPea quickly changed the topic, not wanting to admit her own fear.

I opened my mouth to respond, only to be cut off by an intense flash of light, which rapidly filled the cave in an attempt to blind us. Wincing, I turned away, struggling to clear my vision as spots danced in front of my eyes. When I finally managed, I found myself greeted by a strange sight.

We were standing in a kind of dirt depression underneath the building, which appeared to have been dug out by hand some time ago. In this way, the depression didn't give off the feeling of a ditch as much as it did a small room, complete with four 'walls' built from the brick and wood supports of the building above it. Further adding to the homey feeling of the hollow were various the supplies scattered throughout the area, including a pile of old sheets, several stacks of canned food, and a tattered dog bed that had seen better days. It was on this dog bed that the figure sat, patiently waiting for us to finish our self-guided tour. Having lost his cloak of shadow, we saw for the first time our mysterious escort.

He was a boy of about our age, with tousled light-brown hair and skin to match. His eyes were dark, curious, and seemed to shift in and out of focus as if their owner was in a constant daydream. His clothes were simple and nondescript, giving the boy an overall feel of plainness. Yet at the same time there was something about him that seemed vaguely familiar, though try as I might I couldn't seem to place it. By the SweetPea was eyeing him, I could tell she could see it too.

Throughout our examination the boy remained perfectly silent, though I saw him glance over us much in the same way we did him. For some reason, I found it slightly unnerving.

"Why?" SweetPea was the first to speak up, her voice ringing with forced hostility. "Why did you help us?"

He looked at her curiously, apparently seeing through her veil of anger. "You seemed like you could use some assistance, so I gave you some," he replied simply, giving a practiced shrug.

"That's not a good enough reason, "I pressed, narrowing my eyes. "No one just takes two runaways off the streets without asking questions first."

The boy blinked. "Do you really _want_ me to ask questions?" he raised an eyebrow, amusement finding its way into his tone.

SweetPea and I exchanged a glance.

He smirked slightly as if to prove his point. "I thought not. But to get back to your previous statement, there wasn't really a lot of time to stand back and assess the situation." He continued, choosing his words carefully. "The way I see it, I was given the choice to leave you out there to fend for yourselves, or take a risk and offer my assistance. While I admit my decision may not have been the most obvious of choices, I don't regret it. Plus, you two wouldn't have lasted long out there on your own." He finished with a flat expression, careful to avoid putting emotion into any part of the story.

In spite of herself, I saw a look of irritation flash across SweetPea's face, undoubtedly fueled by a mixture of exhaustion, hunger, and incredibility. "How would you know?" she snapped at him, struggling to keep her emotions under control. "We were doing just fine without you!"

"Depends on your definition of 'fine'," he said in an even tone. "For the last few hours every cop within 100 miles of here has been talking about two girls who escaped from the mental house a little ways out of town. I don't know the details of the situation, but apparently they're being accused of some pretty serious stuff." He looked back and forth between us, gauging our reaction.

Despite my best efforts, I felt myself involuntarily wince. Here before me was a complete stranger, a boy of about our age remaining perfectly calm despite having just accused me and SweetPea of murder, among a number of other heinous crimes. Crimes which, under normal circumstances, would send most sensible people fleeing in terror simply at the mention of them. And yet, knowing full well of what we were being suspected of, this boy was willing to take us into his home without a second thought. Based on this insight, I decided that this boy had to be either completely out of his mind or . . . no, I was pretty sure he was out of his mind.

And yet, the arguments he brought up were undeniably true. If he hadn't shown up when he did, I could almost guarantee that SweetPea and I would no longer still have the freedom we had so long aspired for. If the situation was truly as bad as he made it sound, it would have been a miracle if we had made it through the night.

Exhaling, I cautiously broke the silence. "Look… um…"

"Tyler," he prompted, turning to give me his full attention.

"Tyler. Look, I apologize if we got off on the wrong foot, but me and my friend have been through a lot lately . . . most of which we aren't exactly comfortable sharing." I paused, noting SweetPea shoot me a warning glance. "But despite what it may seem, we really do appreciate your help. As I'm sure you can tell, we really needed it."

I glanced up at him from under my eyelashes, watching a range of emotions flick across his boyish face. As expected, curiosity dominated his features, along with a touch of smugness. And sympathy.

Clearly made uncomfortable by his silence, SweetPea cleared her throat. "And . . . I'm sorry as well," she said slowly, her face tinged slightly red.

Looking back and forth between us, the boy nodded slowly. "It's alright. And I suppose I haven't been the most gracious of hosts either," he admitted, running a hand through his hair with a chuckle. Turning to his right, he grabbed two cans of food from a stack, tossing one to both SweetPea and I.

"Here, I think we'll all be a bit less grumpy once we eat." He said, looking pointedly at SweetPea. "As I said before, I'm Tyler, Tyler Summers. And you are…"

"Babydoll," I said, throwing a glance at SweetPea to emphasize that I wanted her to use her stage name as well. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her nod.

"And I'm SweetPea," she finished, focusing her attention on Tyler.

Strangely, he did not seem the least surprised by our names, only giving a quick nod. "Babydoll and SweetPea," he glanced at each of us in turn, "it's nice to meet you."

Oo0oO

The rest of the evening passed with little worth noting, despite the strange circumstances under which we found ourselves. After formal introductions we had immediately dug into our meal (which consisted of beans and old water), SweetPea and I doing our best to try not to stuff our faces in front of our host. Instead, we engaged in a bit of small talk, each party asking generic life questions. While I had expected some hesitation from all around, a fact I found concerning was that Tyler seemed almost as hesitant to open up as we were.

Sure, he was amiable enough about his current life and living condition, but the moment we asked about his past he had begun to falter. Though I was pretty confident that he wasn't lying to us, I noticed how he was careful to keep his answers vague and undetailed. For example, when we asked about his parents he stated that he "was no longer in the position to contact either of them". While I believe he expected us to interpret that as meaning 'dead' or 'no longer wanting to contact _him_' something about the way he phrased it concerned me. However, it was hard to tell if SweetPea had reached a similar train of thought.

On the other hand, he was careful to avoid asking us questions about our past, knowing that even the most innocent of questions could probe some memory we had sought to push away. For that I was thankful beyond words.

After about an hour overall conversation began to die down, and I felt the atmosphere growing slightly awkward in the proceeding silence. I'm sure Tyler felt it too, for it was not long after that he called it a day.

"It's getting late," he had pointed out, making a show of cleaning up his cans and repositioning himself on the dog bed. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like, or leave as soon as you wish. If you do plan on leaving though I suggest going at the crack of dawn. That way you can put as much distance between yourself and this city as possible." Here he yawned, stretching out his arms. "Until then, goodnight."

Again he shifted his position on the bed, beginning to pull a few blankets together in a makeshift bed. After slight hesitation, SweetPea and I did the same elsewhere in the hollow. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but we both knew had badly we needed the sleep. Ever hospitable, Tyler waited for us to finish before he flicked off our lantern light with a sharp click.

Once again surrounded by darkness, I felt around until my hand snatched a small blanket, and I buried myself under it, suddenly cold. Weary with aches and anticipation, I drifted off.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Thanks to all you readers! Please comment and review! **


	6. Trust

Backstab

Chapter 6: Trust

**A/N: Hello peoples! Last Friday I saw "Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows", which was AMAZING, and if you haven't seen it you should, especially because I am thinking of writing a fanfiction on it. You should also see "X-men First Class", another great movie. But I am getting off topic here's the story!**

**5/11/13 Edit****: Yeah, I'm totally not writing a Sherlock Holmes fanfiction . . . just wanted to let you all know. Also, I feel the need to note that (!) implies a raise in the tone of voice, not actual yelling. I say this mostly because SweetPea and Baby don't seem like the types to get in a real screaming match, especially since the scene I am describing is meant to take place early in the morning and they wouldn't be so careless as to attract attention to themselves. **

Oo0oO

_4 days later_

Oo0Oo

I barely got any sleep that night, and after falling into the same nightmare for several evenings in a row, it became apparent to me that I was destined to sleep fitfully even whilst free. However, I admittedly owed my getting any sleep at all to Tyler, who-after SweetPea and I made the decision to stay-was more than willing to let us into his home.

After giving us an official tour and setting down a few basic rules, SweetPea and I settled in nicely, all the while amazed with our host's incredible hospitality. While we began somewhat cold and distant towards Tyler, I could feel myself reluctantly warming up to him. Even SweetPea, who had at first seemed stand-offish towards him, began to relax in his presence. By the end of the third day, we had reached an uneasy peace.

Though, my nightmares told a different story.

All of my dreams would begin much the same, with me wandering blindly through a gloomy, pressing darkness. Through this darkness I would see the wise man, desperately trying to get my attention. As he came into view, I saw that he was trying to tell me something, his countenance unexpectedly urgent and fearful. But while I could make out the familiar tone of his voice, I could not distinguish individual words, for the sound was lost by the sirens of cop cars and the cries of my friends: SweetPea, Blondie, Amber, and Rocket. It was a horrible discord of sounds, and I would soon become delusional with my desperation to know what he was trying to tell me.

This was the dream that plagued me for the first few nights, and I woke each morning with a renewed sense of fear and regret. I silently convinced myself that this was my punishment, for allowing my friends to die at the hands of the man I promised to protect them from. It was a horrible, chilling thought, but I was able to bear it with the knowledge that I deserved such.

On the third night of our escape, however, the nightmare changed. Though it began much in the same way, after a while the dream suddenly shifted, and the wise man was replaced by Blue. At his feet lie SweetPea's unmoving body. Instinctively cried out, my heart aching as I attempted to run towards her. However, each step I took felt weighted, like I was trying to swim in the middle of a hurricane. It was not long before I felt myself drowning with the unbearable knowledge that I could not reach her, and began silently cursing at myself for letting Blue hurt her.

As I looked back to Blue's face, however, it seemed to morph, and suddenly it was Tyler standing over SweetPea. His expression reeked of malice and scorn, as well as something else that I could not identify. Again I felt myself recoil, newfound fear worming its way into my heart.

Noting my distress, Tyler began to laugh, but the voice that came out was not his own. It was Blue's, and the mirthless sound soon echoed through the dream a thousand times louder than any sound I heard previously. On instinct, I put my hands over my ears, desperate to block out the horrible sound. Yet this only seemed to fuel him, causing the laughter to grow louder and louder until I was sure the whole world was consumed with it.

Oo0oO

When I woke, I realized with a jolt that I could still here the laughter, though it was considerably softer now than it was before. Thinking myself delusional, I jerked into a sitting position, looking wildly around the hideout until I spotted the source of the sound. To my surprise, I found that the laughter was coming from SweetPea and Tyler, who seemed to be bonding over a rather comical breakfast of canned peas.

My first instinct was to give a sigh of relief, for it appeared that I had not lost my wits after all. And yet, the built up tension refused to leave my body, as a realization dawned on me. SweetPea was laughing.

In all of the time we had spent together in the past week, not once had I seen her laugh, or even seen her truly joyous for that matter. The trials we faced had prevented that, any sort of happiness quickly suppressed by the grievous reality of our situation. For laughter, _true _laughter, marked feelings of peace and content that were entirely absent within the walls of the Lennox House, and had likewise been absent within our own hearts.

And yet here she was, laughing and opening up to a stranger. They barely knew each other, and yet they seemed to be generally enjoying each other's company. While I knew Tyler had not yet given us a reason not to trust him, I was filled with fear at the thought of how little we knew about him. For God's sake, we met him less than four days ago.

My mind flaring with unexplainable fear and confusion, I began to pull myself out from under the covers, desperate to break up whatever was going on.

"Oh, good morning Baby," SweetPea commented, turning with surprise to face me. Predictably, I caught a tiny spark of guilt in her eyes, one which she quickly dissipated by changing the subject. "Feel free to grab a can, there's enough cold peas for everyone."

Still wrapped up in my own thoughts, I could only nod, my mind still mulling over the events of my dream. Reluctantly grabbing a can of peas, I claimed a spare fork that had been set aside with the other kitchen supplies, picking tentatively at the small green orbs. After observing me for a few moments, Tyler seemed to shrug off my strange behavior, turning his attention back to SweetPea.

"Thanks again SweetPea, for telling me that lovely story. I only wish . . . that I could have met your sister as well."

I stopped short, nearly choking on my peas. SweetPea had been telling Tyler about Rocket. While I supposed talking about one's siblings was a fairly innocent conversation topic, what really concerned me was the fact that Tyler said he "wished he could have met Rocket as well".

During our past few days together, SweetPea and I had been careful to tell Tyler as little as possible about our time at the Lennox House, always using the general 'we' when describing our group and omitting all but the most general of details about our escape. But Tyler's statement suggested that she was telling him more, that she was beginning to trust him beyond the means of mere acquaintanceship.

Suddenly I couldn't stand it any longer, barely stopping myself fromtossing the peas on the ground. The moment SweetPea had finished responding, I cleared my throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but if you don't mind SweetPea, I need to talk to you outside. Alone."

Surprised, SweetPea threw a confused glance at Tyler, reluctantly turning to follow me out. As I lead the way up the tunnel, I felt Tyler's curious eyes following me, burning into the back of my head as I began my ascent. Unable to help myself, I shuddered, struggling to compose my thoughts as I entered the bright world beyond the passageway.

The day was still young, so the air outside felt refreshingly cold and crisp in my lungs, sending goosebumps crawling up and down the length of my arms. However, I welcomed the strange sensation, for they distracted my troubled mind from the seriousness of the task at hand.

"What is it?" SweetPea asked the moment she was out, obviously unwilling to spend much time out in the cold.

Exhaling, I arranged my thoughts, deciding on the best way to broach the subject without being too direct.

"You were telling Tyler about Rocket," I began slowly, careful not to put any accusation into my voice.

She winced slightly, obviously anticipating my opening remark. "Yes, I was."

"Why?"

She hesitated a moment, choosing her words carefully. "It just… came up. We were jumping from different topics while we waited for you to wake up, and I made a comment about having a little sister." She said bluntly, her expression forcibly calm.

Seeing this, I was the one who hesitated, knowing that SweetPea was giving me the chance to let this go before I began raising any serious questions. While I was tempted to take her up on the offer, I knew in my heart I couldn't let this go, especially not if my theory was right.

"You were talking to him about our time in the Lennox House, weren't you." I broached carefully, deliberately not phrasing it like a question.

SweetPea didn't meet my eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"SweetPea don't do this, don't lie to me," I insisted, grabbing her arm. "I know you were talking to him about our time in the Lennox House, and I'm okay with that. I just want to know exactly how much you told him."

Again, SweetPea didn't meet my eyes, and a good minute went by before she attempted to respond. When she did however, her voice was no longer innocent; instead flaring with defensive hostility. "Why does it matter?" She snapped, catching me off guard and causing me to take an involuntary step backwards. "It's not like he's going to tell anyone."

"You don't know that," I retorted, struggling to remain confident. "We barely know him, and there's no way to know for sure if he's completely trustworthy."

"Tyler is trustworthy! He took us into his home and fed us, all without question or accusation. After everything that he's done for us, he deserves to know the truth." SweetPea argued, gesturing toward the hideout entrance to prove her point.

"But that's all the more reason not to open up to him. Didn't you find it even a little strange that he was so willing to take us in? While I won't deny that he could simply be _that _kind of a person, we also can't ignore the fact that we just met him."

She snorted. "Of course it surprised me, but you can't automatically assume that Tyler is the bad guy. If it weren't for him, we would still be on the streets."

I stopped for a moment, wanting to rip my hair out in frustration. "Why are you trying so hard to defend him?! He can't be trusted, nobody can. The wise man said so himself, that we couldn't trust anyone but each other."

"I'm defending him because you don't know Tyler! He's genuinely nice, not as an act. He actually cares about things, about us, plus he's the only one willing to help us."

"No he won't!" I cried angrily, unable to suppress my feelings any longer. "We're on our own, and why can't you, of all people see that? After what happened to Rocket and the others, I'd think that you would be more . . ." I drifted off, slowly putting the pieces together in my mind. "Cautious."

Just like that, it all made sense. The laughter, the guilty glint in her eye, her defensiveness…

"You love Tyler," my voice was quiet, riddled with disbelief and fear "you love him."

SweetPea didn't respond immediately only, her eyes darting in every direction but towards me. When she spoke, her voice was also quiet, all anger seeming to have drained out of her. "I don't love him . . . but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like him. Tyler . . . isn't like the other people we've met. He isn't like the other people _I've_ met. He actually cares . . . and he understands. The old man said trust each other, but he also said trust your instincts." She took a breath, before looking me right in the eyes. "And mine tell me we need Tyler."

Now it was my turn to fall silent, thoughts conflicting inside my head. Part of me knew we might need Tyler, and that if SweetPea was willing to trust him then I should be as well. But another part of me screamed that he was a liar, no different from anyone else. He was hiding too much, of that I was certain. But at the same time, weren't we?

Without waiting to hear my opinion, SweetPea climbed back into the hideaway, leaving me alone in the crisp morning air.


	7. Familiar Evils

Backstab

Chapter 7: Familiar Evils

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, but with school and a budding I Am Number Four fanfic idea, I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it… And yet, I write on tirelessly. :S**

Oo0oO

I was still sitting outside when I first became aware of them. They were swift and near silent, so I didn't hear them coming until they were just around the corner, when one of them made the mistake of bumping into a nearby trashcan. At that moment, I felt myself freeze, my breath stopping short as I listened further. Now that it had gained my full attention, I was aware of small, human-like movements coming from an adjacent alleyway. There were no voices, but I swore I could hear the faint rustle of a pant leg, the scraping of shoes against gravel that gave away the presence of human life.

Sudden anxiety overcame me; my hands trembling with the thought that one of our pursuers had found us. True, there was a slight possibility that the sound I was hearing was that of a random pedestrian, but my mind refused to believe it. Somewhere, deep inside me, I could feel the danger presented by their presence, and my mind began an internal battle of whether or not I should make a move or sit in silence. Making noise might startle them; prompt whoever it was into action and the possible discovery of my presence within the city. However, silence would leave me vulnerable, give them more time to think and plan their course of action, while SweetPea and Tyler sat unknowingly inside the hollow.

_I have to make a move_, I convinced myself, inching towards the hole and trying to make as little noise as humanly possible. Heart hammering in my chest, I slowly approached the entrance, my ears alert for any sign of movement. Then, fast as lightening, I dove inside our base, receiving a good scratch on my left forearm as I did so. As I stumbled to the ground, I cursed slightly, looking up at the other two with whom I currently shared my home. SweetPea was careful to avoid my gaze, but-recognizing my anxiety-Tyler stopped short.

"What is it?" he asked quickly, rising to his feet in alarm.

"It's them," I said breathlessly, my voice a barely controlled whisper. "The people looking for us. They're here."

At this, SweetPea turned her full attention towards me, our previous quarrel forgotten. "What? You mean the cops?"

Contemplating it for a moment, I shook my head, "No, cops wouldn't bother to be so silent about it. Whoever I heard knew we were here and had intended on sneaking up on us."

"Then who is it?"

I hesitated, confusion and fear making it hard to form a logical response. Why _would_ someone besides the cops be after us? Was it because of those posters? Sure, they inspired the neighborhood to be on the lookout, but it wasn't like anyone actually took finding criminals into their own hands. We were just a couple of kids, what would anyone want with us?

As I sifted through my thoughts, Tyler frowned grimly, placing a hand under his chin. "I had a feeling this was going to happen sooner or later," he said quietly, and then began crawling over to the far corner of our hideout. His movement capturing my attention, I watched as he began tugging at an old dog bed, struggling with the weight of it. After a few good heaves, the mattress had been shoved a few feet to the side, revealing a small hole in the floor.

"An escape tunnel?" SweetPea thought aloud, looking between Tyler and the hole curiously.

He shrugged, dry humor managing to find its way into his voice. "Let's just say I like to take precautions." However, not more than a moment later his smile vanished, and he motioned to SweetPea and I. "Clear the camp of what you can. It's best we leave as little evidence of life here as possible."

SweetPea nodded instantly, and I was about to go about the task when I heard a noise from the wall to my left.

"It's too late to cover our tracks" I said in a loud whisper, noting the increasing number of loud thumps the building around us was making. "They already know we're here, our best bet now is to run."

Exchanging a glance, Tyler and SweetPea immediately dropped their items, moving over to the tunnel with renewed haste. After a few moments, they had both disappeared from sight, swallowed by the black pit beyond.

The moment SweetPea's head had disappeared I followed after her, easing myself into the narrow passage. The hole was a bit tight around the shoulders, but after a bit of squirming I managed to slip through. Saying a silent goodbye to our previous hideout, I ducked down into the dark tunnel.

Oo0oO

The burrow wasn't long, and after less than a minute of crawling we emerged in a new alleyway only a few hundred feet from where we went in. The exit had been carefully concealed by a collection of discarded building materials, and we had to move them aside in order to gain access to the outside world. Despite the inconvenience, however, we had managed to slip us past our pursers, and as soon as we could find shelter we were in the clear.

Or so we thought.

"It's them!" came a voice from behind us, and we spun around to face a large black man staring us down from the end of the alley. He was surprisingly well dressed, adorned in a simple black suit and dress shoes, and had it not been for the agitated look in his face he could have easily passed for a casual businessman on his way to work.

Though, most businessmen didn't carry a pistol strapped to their left hip.

"Run," Tyler said quickly, but he had no need, for we had already began dashing before the command had been issued.

Behind me, I heard the man snicker, before he was joined by two more men in suits. "We only need the girls," he commanded quickly, motioning to where we were about to round the corner out of the alley. "The boy's expendable."

_Tyler_, his name flashed in my head, and surge of guilt rattled my bones. However, I managed to ignore it, focusing on the road ahead. Tyler didn't matter, and despite any friendliness SweetPea or I held toward him, it did not change the fact that he was a stranger to us. If it came down to it, and I had the choice between his safety and our escape… I would not hesitate.

By now, our pursuers had scattered, and soon backroads of the city were alive with shouts. Moving quickly, we struggled to escape the barrage of men, weaving in and out of buildings in a blind rush. We had no destination but away, no plan but to run. It was eerily similar to SweetPea and my first night out of the Lennox house, though the situation felt incredibly more dire now. For the cops we had faced then were at least a familiar evil; they were just doing their job and attempting to uphold public safety. However, these men were definitely not cops, for no law enforcement would call a living being _expendable. _

To further reinforce this thought, I heard a small boom rattle through the air, less than a second before something bounced off the brick wall beside me.

"What was that?" SweetPea reeled, glancing back and forth between me and the wall.

"They've issued an open fire," Tyler announced, and for the first time since our introduction I saw true shock on his face.

"Open fire?" I echoed, a moment before another bullet collided with a trashcan to my right.

Baby!" cried SweetPea, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward. Gasping, I stumbled slightly, easing myself back to a full sprint.

"Whatever you do don't slow down," Tyler cried, turning down another alley. "We can still outrun them!" He did his best to sound confident, though not even he could fully cover the fear in his tone.

Unarmed and outnumbered, we zigzagged through the city streets, barely avoiding getting hit by cars on multiple occasions. All the while, the men relentlessly kept on us, though as time went by their numbers seemed to be dwindling. However, that did nothing to tame the raging fire in my chest, and I knew that I couldn't maintain this speed for much longer before collapsing.

"I… can't…"

"Just… a little further," Tyler wheezed, noting my exhaustion.

He turned out to be right, for after rounding a corner and ducking into an abandoned building, we'd lost them. Exhausted and beyond relieved, SweetPea and I collapsed on the floor, struggling to control our breathing until we were positive of our safety. Tyler was also gasping for air, but I caught a triumphant smile spreading across his face.

Then something happened. Without warning, Tyler's eyes grew wide, flicking between me, SweetPea and something behind us. I turned around, and caught a glimpse of one of our pursuers pulling his trigger while the gun pointed at my head. Before my brain could register fear or the action to move, Tyler was diving in front of me. There was a click. A boom. And then Tyler fell to the floor.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Haha cliffhanger I'm so mean. Anyways sorry about all the running, but they're just a couple of scared, unarmed kids… for now. Please comment and review, and thanks again to all the readers.**


	8. Blind

Backstab

Chapter 8: Blind

**A/N: Hey peoples! Ok sorry about the lack of updates, but hey, one can only try, plus Wolfie's been nagging me to start the next chapter of our co-op story The Loriens, so yeah. Also, this chapter actually took some minor research on my part, so I couldn't just put off writing it til the very last second like I usually do.**

Oo0oO

It felt like the whole world was submerged in water. I could hear SweetPea screaming, but it sounded muffled and far away. As could I hear Tyler yelp in pain, but even that sounded stifled. The only thing I felt acutely aware of was the armed man in front of us, reloading his deadly weapon.

Instinct overcame me, the same one that had driven me to hold a knife to the cook's throat what felt like so long ago. Gathering power, I lunged at the shooter, catching by surprise and knocking him to the floor. Grunting, I snatched the gun from his meaty hands and backed away from him, training the barrel at his chest.

"Don't move," I commanded, hoping my voice sounded more stable then I felt.

For a moment, a look of confusion crossed his face, which changed to amusement as he assessed the situation. He started to rise. "Put it down little lady," he said, making calming hand gestures. "You could get hurt."

I loaded a bullet. "Stay back," I said harshly, tears of anger and grief beginning to pool in my eyes. He took a step. Without a moment of hesitation, I squeezed the trigger.

Releasing a small grunt of pain, the man instantly collapsed, his body hitting the floor like a discarded child's toy. His legs fell in an awkward position, and I knew immediately that he was out cold.

Gasping slightly, I let the gun slip from my fingers, the reality of all that had just occurred beginning to sink in. Tyler was hurt. The man had shot him. The man was hurt. _I_ had shot him. Crumpling much like the man, I sunk to my knees, barely managing to withhold my own shock and horror at what had just happened. Behind me I heard SweetPea sobbing slightly, fighting back hysteria as she held Tyler. For a minute, the only sound was that of our own grief.

Then, SweetPea suddenly gasped. "Baby, he's still breathing! And there's no blood where the bullet went in!"

I started at her words, snapping out of my reverie as I turned to examine Tyler. She was right. If anything, Tyler didn't appear as if he had been shot, simply like he was in a sort of deep, painful sleep. Glancing over at the man, I saw that he looked the same.

"But…" I began, drifting off in confusion.

Warily, I crawled over to examine the weapon, blinking slowly as I took it in my hand. It was nothing like the ones we fought with in the fantasies, or any gun I had seen in real life either. The barrel was longer more cylindrically shaped, plus it was weighted strangely.

"It's fake. Or at least, not lethal." I said, passing it back and forth between my hands.

"A tranquilizer gun, I've heard of them before," SweetPea noted, the ache in her voice lifting. "They shoot dart things with sedative, so instead of killing you it just knocks you out."

Examining the gun further, I breathed a sigh of relief, and my heart rate beginning to slow down. Tyler wasn't in serious danger, and neither was the man whom I had shot. Sure, taking the bullet probably hadn't been painless, but at least it wasn't fatal.

And yet, that that didn't change the fact that Tyler had jumped in front of us to take what he probably believed to be a very real bullet. A bullet aimed for _me_, not for SweetPea. He was willing to possibly die for someone he barely knew, someone who had no faith in him whatsoever. Again I felt a stab of guilt; for less than an hour ago I had been so willing to leave Tyler so SweetPea and I could escape, but now I owed him my life.

Shouldering this knowledge, I swallowed, attempting to focus on the situation at hand. "We should probably get out of here; find somewhere safe to rest while Tyler wakes up."

SweetPea nodded, coming to her feet. "Whoever those people are will probably come looking for this man. We'd best be out of here before that happens."

Working together, we managed to carry Tyler, but only barely. Half dragging his unconscious body, we set out into the city.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Really really short chapter, but hey, you know how it is. **

**Please review/comment! And thanks again to all the readers out there! **


	9. Something Worth Fighting For

Backstab

Chapter 9: Something worth fighting for

**A/N: Heyy. I'm starting to sound like Wolfie-chan, but whoever hasn't seen "Abduction" (starring Taylor Lautner :) ) totally should cuz it's a really good movie. Also, sorry this chapter's kinda short, but I'm planning something big so keep reading ;)**

Oo0oO

I was just getting back when Tyler awoke, stumbling gracelessly out of his dreamlike state and into the warm light of the afternoon.

"Huh what?" he blinked, forcing himself into a conscious state. "Wha-What happened?" He attempted to look about him, struggling to compose his thoughts as the effects of the tranquilizer began wearing off.

"You took a tranquilizer dart to your right shoulder." SweetPea explained calmly, nodding at my return. "You've been out cold for the last few hours."

"So that would explain why my shoulder hurts so damn much," he grumbled, somehow managing to find humor in our situation. Blinking, Tyler observed our surroundings.

We were currently in a small, abandoned shed not far from where Tyler had been shot, which was a quiet place nestled between a brick wall and a moderately sized house. As far as we could tell, the house was currently uninhabited, for those windows with open curtains peered into empty rooms coated in layers of dust. Though we technically could have set up camp inside the building, SweetPea and I agreed on the more inconspicuous shed, which had more than enough room for the three of us to lie down comfortably. Plus, given that the shed was surrounded by barriers on three sides, it guaranteed that we could not be snuck up on.

As SweetPea explained all of this to him, I layed out what I'd collected. Apparently SweetPea had liked to cook when she was living at home, and had sent me out to gather herbs to make a simple soup.

"Did you find the plants I described to you?" SweetPea asked, turning her attention from Tyler.

I nodded, somewhat pleased with myself. "I managed to find the sage and sorrel, and even a few meat scraps from the alley behind the butcher shop. But no basil unfortunately."

At this SweetPea sighed slightly, looking somewhat put out. "That's alright; at least you managed to gather some things."

Tyler looked at her curiously. "You cook?" he asked, unmistakable admiration in his voice.

"A bit," she replied, looking slightly embarrassed. "My mom wasn't around a lot and my dad couldn't cook for the life of him, so on most nights I was in charge of feeding the family." She explained, nostalgia creeping into her voice. Seeing the warm nature of our conversation, I smiled, and returned to my work sorting the herbs and handing them to SweetPea upon request.

Meanwhile, Tyler continued nodding politely, though I could tell by the look in his eyes that he had been distracted by another thought. Not wanting to broach him, I kept my attention on the task at hand, the conversation slowly dying out.

"Babydoll," Tyler said suddenly, gaining my attention and sitting up in his makeshift bed of canvas covers.

"Yes?" I responded politely, though his tone made me hesitate.

"Why...why did you bring me along?"

I blinked slowly, hoping he would elaborate further.

Catching my plea, he corrected himself. "What I mean is, you and SweetPea could have easily left me there and survived on your own, but you didn't. While I was unconscious I probably did little but slow you down, and yet you chose to bring me along anyways. Why?"

Likewise curious, SweetPea stopped in her task and looked up at me, also curious for my answer.

"You took the bullet," I said simply. "You thought it was real, you knew it could kill you, and yet you willingly took it to save me." Here I hesitated, this conversation sparking some curiosities of my own. "So I guess I can pose a similar question back to you, why did you take the hit?"

The question clearly caught Tyler off guard, and it was a while before he attempted to speak again.

"I... don't have much to live for anymore, other than temporary homes and sparse meals. I've lived on the streets for so long, and there's nothing here for me that I want to fight to hold on to. You two at least have somewhere to go, people waiting for you. My death wouldn't change anything."

As soon as he finished, silence met his words, as SweetPea and I contemplated the meaning of that statement. In his mind, he had nothing, no hope or home or things to call dear. He had no family, no friends or anyone who could possibly miss him if he died. This was a chilling thought, and I couldn't help but shake at the idea of it. Did Tyler truly have nothing to live for?

"You're wrong you know," said SweetPea in a small voice, interrupting my train of thought. Tyler and I turned toward her in surprise. "There's always something worth fighting for."

Oo0oO

"What do you mean they got away?!" a voice echoed through the dark room, the sound tinged with barely-controlled temper.

"They managed to...outrun us, sir. It seemed like they knew every alley in the city like the back of their hand, and it was all we could do to keep up to them as long as we did." A man responded, sounding regretful and angry. "Also, we believe that they took Harrow's gun and ammunition." There was a slight pause, and that scared the second speaker more than anything else.

"You were a group of 10 armed men against two girls, and they managed to 'escape'?" The second voice resumed, his tone shockingly quiet.

"There was also a young man traveling with them-"

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!" The first voice erupted, which was quickly followed by the sound of heavy footsteps departing from the room. Seconds later, there was a slam of a heavy wooden door, which quickly gave way to silence.

However, this silence didn't last more than a few moments, for it was interrupted by soft laughter.

"What. are. you. laughing. at?" said the owner of the first voice, the words forcing their way out through his clenched teeth.

"Oh nothing, simply the fact that you think you can actually _catch_ them." There was another, more feminine chuckle. "Face it Blue, they're smarter than you and all your men combined. With that other boy there to help them there's no doubt they'll escape."

There was another moment of silence, before the man (Blue) also began to laugh, the sound coming out cold and angry. "On the contrary, my dear, they won't even get out of the city." He said smoothly. "My men are many, and my influence on the law great. Yes, they may be out of my reach for now, but soon they will fall into my clutches again. And when that happens I will be sure not to let them slip away." Here he paused, a devilish smile playing on his lips. "And of course, there's always you."

Sensing the sudden change in his demeanor, the second voice paused, shifting uncomfortably in her position on the office chair. "I'll die before I help you," she said, her voice turning hard and unforgiving.

Noting her sudden defensiveness, Blue laughed again, deep and loudly so the sound of it boomed frighteningly in the enclosed space. "That, dear Rocket, is not something you'll get a say in."

Oo0oO

**A/N: I TOLD you I was planning something huge, and now you see what I mean. I must give credit to Dougster for giving me the idea to bring back one of the other characters. **

**All comments and reviews are appreciated, and thanks again to all the readers.**


	10. The Message

Backstab

Chapter 10: The Message

**A/N: Heyy! I told you all I was planning something big, and here it is, the unofficial beginning of the bigness! (That sounded totally weird but I don't really care). Hope you like it. **

Oo0oO

"I think we should go out looking for them." Tyler proclaimed the next morning, his confidence catching both SweetPea and I totally off guard.

"What?" we said simultaneously.

"I think we should confront these guys who are after you." he said, his expression serious. "We can't keep running and hiding forever, sooner or later we'll have to turn around and face these guys. Plus we still have the tranquilizer gun."

"Are you crazy?" SweetPea questioned, her logical nature prompting immediate denial. "There's only three of us against who knows how many of them, and two of us are wanted for murder. If we show our face on the streets again they'll capture us for sure, you saw how close they came last time." She argued, and I couldn't help but comparing this argument to her misgivings about my plan for escaping the Lennox House.

"Well we could at least find out what they want." Tyler demanded, careful to keep his tone under control.

"What they want?" They want us back in the institution, so Baby can lose her virginity to the high roller and then have both of us go back to dancing under-dressed for their pleasure." She snapped angrily, and I couldn't help but shudder slightly at the thought.

Surprised by SweetPea's strong disagreement, Tyler turned toward me, looking for support. However, I shook my head. "Our best chances right now lie with us getting out of this city. The more distance we put between ourselves and Blue, the better."

Disappointed by my unwillingness to help, Tyler stopped, closing his eyes in though. For a while he didn't speak, clearly pondering the best way to go on.

Then, he spoke in a soft voice. "Girls have escaped before, you know." He began, meeting both of our eyes. "It doesn't happen often, but it _has_ happened. And of course they put up wanted posters and had the police patrol the city, but they've never gone through this much trouble to catch them. I mean a divisionarmed men? For _2 runaway girls_?" he paused, shaking his head. "I don't know what they want, but I know they won't give up. They'll keep chasing you until they find you and bring you back."

"So if we can't outrun them, and we obviously can't go back, where does that leave us?" SweetPea asked, exasperated.

I glanced at Tyler, already knowing what he was going to say. I drew a breath.

"There's only one option left. You have to kill Blue."

Oo0oO

Rocket squirmed in her chair, the metal bindings slicing fresh cuts across her wrists and ankles. However, the pain was nothing to her, for no matter how many cuts, bruises and scars coated her skin, none of the pain would compare to that delivered by the knife. She could still remember it, how it had ripped through her flesh like it was paper, lodging itself amongst her inner organs. It had felt like someone had set her insides on fire, and for what felt like hours all she could remember was screaming for someone to make it stop.

And when the pain did stop, the information that greeted her only seemed to reopen her wounds. Amber and Blondie were dead, having been shot by Blue in a fit of desperate rage. _"Their deaths came quickly"_, Madame Gorski had said, her eyes brimming with tears. Despite the ache that their deaths brought her, this at least gave her some relief. They did not suffer, and they would suffer no longer under Blue's hands.

Just as well, the flames of their death had fueled the fire, the fire of determination and anger that led SweetPea and Babydoll to escape. For all the suffering they had endured, all of the pain each and every group member stood through, at least something had come out of it all. And now, after it seemed they had their freedom at last, Blue remained determine to strip it away from them.

Angrily, Rocket shifted again.

"Struggling will only make this more difficult." said the soothing voice of the doctor, who had been preparing his instruments through the duration of her daydream. "Just hold still, it will be over soon."

"I told Blue already, I'll never help you catch them." she growled, pulling at her restraints. "I'll die first."

The doctor turned to meet her hard glare, his expression bewildered. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," she snapped, angered by his confusion. "The armed patrols you're sending to catch SweetPea and Baby. Don't pretend you don't know."

The doctor's expression remained unchanged, until a nurse motioned for him to come over. Relieved from her stare, the doctor shuffled over.

The nurse's voice was a whisper, and she continuously threw nervous glances at Rocket as she spoke. "Blue mentioned that Madame Gorski noticed… Rocket has had an increasing amount of 'delusions' since her sister's escape. Most of them having something about Blue doing unauthorized huntings for her sister without consulting the police.

The doctor's eyebrows shot up in response to this information, though he nodded in understanding. He trusted Madame Gorski's judgment, even if the information he was being fed did not come from the instructors mouth, but from Blue's. Motioning the nurse away, he turned back to Rocket.

"It's ok," he reassured gently, "Blue's not doing anything like that. The police will find your sister soon and bring her back, and everything will be all right. Just sit back and relax."

"Relax?! I won't just stand by while Blue-"

Her words were cut short as a syringe was jabbed into her neck, and the serum inside was injected into her bloodstream. In the matter of a few seconds, she was out cold.

Oo0oO

"How can it possibly be so hard to find someone who's hunting you down?" SweetPea wondered aloud as we strolled through the busy square.

As it were, we three had accepted Tyler's plan, no matter how irrationally difficult it was, agreeing that the only way to stop this was to end it. Of course SweetPea had argued heavily, insisting that fleeing was still our best option. But Tyler had eventually won me over with promises that no other girls would have to endure Blue's wrath; and SweetPea had little choice but to oblige.

We'd agreed to search specifically for men we surmised to be working for Blue, those dressed in black and armed with tranquilizer guns. If we were found by the law instead of Blue, our whole plan would collapse. For now, we had set into the city to find our pursuers, only to come up empty-handed in all cases.

"So how are we going to find them?" SweetPea asked again, surveying the crowds of bystanders.

"We'll know them when we see them." said Tyler with a shrug, kicking a pile of new-fallen leaves on the ground.

I nodded, and proceeded walking, staring down at the brown cobblestone street. Suddenly, I heard something whizz past my ear, then stick in a nearby tree with a sharp _thunk_. Turning towards the direction it came from, I spotted a small group of well-dressed men, the one at the head with his gun pointed at us.

"I think I we found them," I said, motioning towards the band of men. Tyler and SweetPea followed my gaze, likewise noting the men

"Let's go," said Tyler, moving as a shield between me and them, "now!"

Without hesitation, I dashed off, making a sharp turn to the right, leaving SweetPea and Tyler behind. For a terrifying moment, the men continued to look towards Tyler and SweetPea. Then began pursuit of me.

_It's working_, I thought with a grin. Lengthening my strides, I headed for the preplanned route through a long alley. It was a dead end, but is served our purpose nicely. As the sun was blocked from vision by the shade of the adjacent buildings, I stole a glance behind me. Four men followed closely behind. It was one of the smaller patrols, but still enough.

My feet were pounding hard on the black ground, my muscles pumping furiously to keep the lead I had. Breathing hard, I looked ahead, my eye catching on a small bucket standing innocently in the shadow of a trash can.

_Phase 1,_ I thought to myself, knocking over the bucket with a sharp kick. A sinister black liquid began to seep from the over-turned container spilling out over the ground and trapping the lead pursuers in its horrible stickiness. The rest jumped over, but now ran at a slightly more cautious distance.

I continued down the alley, until I saw the large shopping bag lying inconspicuously across the center of the road.

_Phase 2_, I thought, slamming my foot down hard to reach the small concealed trigger underneath. The button caused a huge, poky old fishing net to fall from seemingly nowhere, catching another man in its relentless grasp.

_Almost done,_ I thought with satisfaction. I looked for the next checkpoint, but instead found myself face to face with the large brick wall at the alley's end.

"What?" I said aloud, skidding as I stopped my sprint.

"Well, it looks like the magician ran out of tricks up her sleeves." said one of the two remaining men, having caught up to me. "But the good guys always win."

I glared at him, angry and confused. What happened to the last trap? How were we going to get the information we needed with me in Blue's hands? I said nothing, but stood nervously with my back to the wall.

"You're coming with us, said the second man, reaching forward. However, before he could touch me, there was a click, and he fell to the floor.

"Simon?" said the first man, his expression bewildered.

"Don't move," came SweetPea's steady voice, holding the gun to his head.

"What-"

"Shut it," she said, finger on the trigger.

Looking around the man, I caught her eye. "I thought you guys abandoned me," I stated, relief heavy on my voice.

"We had to make them believe they had you," explained Tyler, walking from behind.

I nodded, and then turned my attention to the man. His expression was carefully neutral, though I could see confusion raging in his eyes.

"What does Blue want from us?" I demanded, my voice steady.

The man blinked, a smile playing on his lips. "I think you already know the answer to that." he said calmly, not taking his eyes off mine.

"What does he want?" I said again, hoping my quiet voice worked to make me sound angry rather than timid.

"You already know," he said again. "Blue wants you back at the Lennox House, and he was willing to hire us to get the job done. However, he knows that you won't go down without a fight." He continued, glancing to the man called Simon as if to provide proof of this statement.

"So?" Tyler snapped, curious as to the man's point.

"So we figured we could try to convince you two instead." He reached in his pocket.

"Don't move," SweetPea said again, though the curiosity that tinged her voice betrayed her anger.

The man didn't stop, but reached in his pocket and handed me a simple piece of paper, with a simple photo of a girl, lying unconscious and bound to a chair.

My mouth went dry, and I found myself at a loss for words. When I did speak, it was only one word, which was barely audible once it escape my mouth.

"Rocket."

Oo0oO

**A/N: Thanks again to all the readers! Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. Also, sorry Babydoll hasn't said much, but her role in the movie was mostly visual, so it's hard to capture all of her personality.**


	11. Plan B

Backstab

Chapter 11: Plan B

**A/N: Hey guys! This week has gone by really fast, and now it's already time to update once again. This chapter is gonna be a bit slower in comparison to the last one, but bear with me. Thanks so much as always to the fans, readers, followers, reviewers, and… you get my point.**

**Disclaimer: The words "… the room like a trapped lioness…" is part of a line from Lestaki's fanfiction, "Puella Magi Homura Magica".**

**Claimer: Wolfie recently gave me all rights to Tyler Summers.**

Oo0oO

I sat silently on the floor, hugging my knees as I watched SweetPea pace the room like a trapped lioness. She'd been like this ever since we'd learned Rocket was still alive, the ache of missing her sister overpowering her normal thought.

"We have to get her out!" she'd insisted, her tone bordering on desperation. "Who knows what Blue has planned for her… or what he's already done?"

"But how do we know for sure this isn't a trap? The photo easily could have been when you were still in the institution, and Blue could have brought it out to lure you to coming back." Tyler pointed out, taking a more rational approach to the problem.

"I'm positive it's new. Rocket almost never left my sight while we were there, and back then Blue wouldn't have had a reason the tie us up like that."

Lowering my knees so I could speak, I joined the conversation. "SweetPea, Blue's a cruel man, with a lot of power. He could have easily found a girl who looks like Rocket, drugged her and tied her up to lure us back. And… there's no way she could've survived that wound." I hesitated, still haunted by the memory of the cook's knife driving through her flesh. "I'm sorry SweetPea, but she's gone."

SweetPea was silent after that, though I could tell by her set jaw that she still refused to believe that her sister was gone. The photo had given her hope, hope that the person she loved most in the world was still alive. Hope that maybe all was not lost, that she could still reclaim her baby sister and return her home safely to their parents. She was not willing to let that hope die so easily.

So now, I watched with interest as she broke her stride, turning to face me with fierce determination. "Let me see the picture."

Confused by her sudden change in pace, I handed her the photograph, watching her curiously. She was quiet as she scanned the picture, and just as I was about to ask her reason she shouted out.

"Baby, Tyler, come look at this!"

I rose; followed by Tyler, who had been sharpening sticks with the cook's knife.

"Look look right there where her stomach is showing."

We examined the photo, catching a small gap between her shirt and skirt where her bare skin was exposed.

"Yes we see that but-

"Look on the left side, you see the scar?" SweetPea interjected excitedly. "Rocket never had a scar like that before, and it's in the same place where she was stabbed."

Tyler and I looked back at the picture, noting a tiny stitched line just peeking out under the hem of her shirt.

"She's still alive," I murmured, my voice a mix of disbelief and flaring hope.

Tyler was silent for a moment, his eyebrows knitted in concentration. Then he spoke, amusement finding its way into his tone. "Blue certainly isn't making our job any easier."

I nodded. "I guess it's time for plan B." I walked across the length of the shed. Kneeling down, I lifted a loose floor board to reveal our secret hideaway for our most valuable items: the tranquilizer gun, the lighter, the knife (when Tyler wasn't using it), and Blue's map of the institute. I carefully pulled out said map, slowly unfolding it until every corner of the institute was laid out in front of us.

"Alright," I said, the map crinkling on protest as I spread it across the floor. "Let's start with what we know."

SweetPea kneeled next to me, holding out an old pencil. "Right," she agreed.

"The front entry is here," I pointed, watching SweetPea print _Entrance_ in bold letters where I indicated.

"And Blue's office is here," she added, writing his name in an office off the main hallway.

"But he wouldn't keep her in his office," Tyler noted, "He'd need to keep her somewhere only him and his lackeys could get to her. Is there like, a secret basement or something?"

"If we knew about a secret basement, that would kind of defeat the whole 'secret' part of it," SweetPea pointed out. Tyler turned his head the other direction, embarrassed.

I had to resist from rolling me eyes. "Ok, SweetPea, you know the institute better than any of us, where would be the best place to hide her?"

SweetPea's face turned serious as she surveyed the map. "Here," she said, pointing to a cluster of rooms in the back corner of the institute. "They used to be more rooms for housing patients, but they've fallen into disuse."

"And they're the farthest away from any marked exits, therefore the hardest to reach." Tyler commented, observing the institute's layout.

SweetPea breathed out, circling the abandoned rooms and labeling then 'Rocket'.

"Do you really think we should still go after Blue?" I asked quietly, leaning back. "Rescuing Rocket will be hard enough, but killing Blue as well?" I shook my head.

"You have to," Tyler insisted, "rescuing Rocket won't do you any good if Blue's still hunting you. He has to be stopped."

"Why are you so insistent on taking out Blue?" SweetPea suddenly questioned, eyeing Tyler. "If we manage to get home, then Blue wouldn't be able to get us anyways."

"He'll still find you," he demanded, though his confidence seemed to falter under our direct interrogation.

I sighed. "Let's just focus on saving Rocket," I said. "And if we don't have any other option… we'll kill Blue."

SweetPea nodded. "I agree."

"Me too," said Tyler, after a moment of hesitation.

"Let's do this."

Oo0oO

**A/N: Thanks again to the readers, especially those who hung on through the slow middle part. All comments and reviews greatly appreciated; I'd like to know whose reading this!**


	12. Turning the Tides

Backstab

Chapter 12: Turning the Tides

**A/N: Possibly my longest chapter to date, and maybe even the best. Though I guess that's a matter of opinion. As you can probably tell, my story seems to be reaching a climax (I swear the story has been writing itself) which means then end must follow soon. Not soon soon but sooner then maybe some were hoping (aka me). So I'd just like to thank the readers who have read for this long, and I promise to make the slightly boring middle part worth it.**

Oo0oO

"Ok that just about covers it," Tyler stepped back, brushing off his hands with a look of satisfaction on his face. "But before we leave I want to do one last check. SweetPea you have the map and the key, right?"

SweetPea nodded, "Check."

"Babydoll, you have the knife?"

"Check," I replied, drawing it out from its sheath on my upper thigh.

"And I have the tranquilizer gun and the rope," Tyler concluded. "Is that everything?"

"Sounds like it," SweetPea said, grabbing her small leather pack and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Then let's go," Tyler agreed, doing the same with his tattered fisherman's pack. I was the only one without a bag of my own, so I simply slid the knife back into its hiding place.

Today was the day we planned to commence our mission to rescue Rocket, all of us in an uneasy agreement over our plan. Though we had done our best to cover every possible outcome of the mission, it could never account for the danger of the real thing. Blue still had the upper hand: with superior weapons, overpowering numbers of guards, and a hostage; while we were just some kids with a knife and a gun. He would be expecting us, and despite all of our planning it did not change the reality that we were walking deep into enemy territory with no backup. It was a risky move.

Still, we set out into the streets, anxiety and anticipation bubbling inside our chests.

"Tyler you take the lead," I ordered softly, falling behind him. "You know these streets like the back of your hand, and we're going to need the quickest route possible back to the institute."

He nodded, and closed his eyes as if examining a layout of the city streets in his mind. After a moment of contemplation he opened them. "Got it, ok follow me," Tyler instructed, setting a brisk pace towards the Lennox House.

SweetPea and I silently fell into step behind him, following his exact footsteps. Though I didn't see any of Blue's men, Tyler hugged the edges of the streets, concealing himself and us in the dark shadows formed by the buildings. It soon became evident that Tyler _had_ lead us down the shortest route, because after a surprisingly short period of time I could just see the dark, looming fortress that was the Lennox House in the narrow strip between two buildings.

Before I got a better look though, Tyler flattened us and himself against a nearby building.

"Don't move!" he talk-whispered, motioning to a patrol of Blue's men walking from the direction of the house.

"There's more guarding the perimeter," I breathed, noticing many small, black shapes pacing the fence in front of the institution.

"He's been waiting for us," I heard SweetPea growl, though her ferocity could not completely mask the fear in her voice. "What do we do?"

Tyler was silently, his eyes searching desperately for an alternate way to the institution. I looked up towards the sky in thought, and then I noticed something.

"The buildings." Thinking aloud, my eyes still glued upwards.

SweetPea and Tyler followed my gaze, but I could tell by the genuine puzzlement on their faces that they had no idea what I was talking about.

"Look at the buildings; do you see how much closer together they are than the ones deeper in the city?"

"Yeah, but how does that help us?" SweetPea questioned. I looked towards Tyler, watching as he began to comprehend my plan.

"We can jump from rooftop to rooftop," he explained, "they're close enough so we probably won't fall, and this way we'll be able to get to the edge of the city undetected. Also, being on higher ground than them will give us a vantage point."

SweetPea opened and closed her mouth as she contemplated the plan, her eyes flicking nervously over the looming structures. "I'm not good with heights."

"Don't worry, you won't fall," Tyler reassured her, "and if you do, I'll catch you."

Trying to ignore the slight blush coming to SweetPea's cheeks, I slipped into a nearby alley, relieved to see there was a fire escape to assist in our ascent. Not waiting for the others, I began climbing, wincing as my hand grasped the old, rusty metal. Below me, I felt SweetPea nervously begin the climb as well.

In no time, we were on top of the building, giving us a good view of the area around us.

Noticing our vantage point, SweetPea cleared her throat. "If we can see everyone from up here, can't they all see us too?" I exchanged a glance with Tyler, and we all simultaneously crouched to our knees.

"Get to the center of the roof," Tyler commanded, crouch-walking to the designated location, "less people will be able to see us there."

We did as told, crouching in the center and feeling incredibly foolish.

"So now we're up here, how are we going to get to the House?" Tyler and SweetPea turned towards me.

I paused, looking around. Then it came to me. "We'll all take up watch positions on the three sides of the building parallel to the building we want to jump to. Then once everyone gives the all clear, we jump across, and we continue like that until there's no more buildings left."

"And what then?" SweetPea questioned, eyeing me.

I hesitated, and I was thankful when Tyler answered for me. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Reluctantly, SweetPea nodded, and she and Tyler took their positions near the next building. I followed suit, crouching precariously on the edge of the rooftop, scanning the street below like a hawk searching for prey.

"I'm clear over here," I heard SweetPea call from her position overlooking Thatcher Street.

"Me too," I called back, preparing to jump.

"I'm not, get back!" Tyler cried, and we all instantly shuffled back to the center. "There was a small group of men on the side street; it will take less than a minute for them to pass."

We waited a few seconds, before Tyler looked out and confirmed the cost was clear. Gathering our courage, we each took turns jumping to the next building. SweetPea went first, grunting as she hit the next rooftop and nearly rolling over the side. Tyler followed her, jumping and rolling so deftly that I couldn't help but wonder if he'd done something like this before. Then it was my turn. I took a few steps back, then ran and heaved my body across the abyss, clearing it by several feet. We continued like this until we were on the last building before the road, and we had a clear and terrifying view of the guards waiting for us out front.

"What's your plan?" I hurriedly asked Tyler, before he could ask me the same thing. He seemed to sense what I was trying to do, and just shrugged his shoulders.

"We need a distraction," SweetPea said, her eyes flitting towards me without her being able to stop them.

I shook my head, reading her mind. "It won't work without music, and we only managed that last time because of the faint sound coming out of the institute."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tyler give me a look, clearly missing the context of the exchange. I shook my head, letting him know it wasn't important.

Curious, but not willing to keep at it, Tyler shrugged, changing the topic. "We could take out a few of the guards," Tyler suggested, eyeing a few of the nearer men.

SweetPea shook her head. "We don't have enough bullets."

"Then how can we do this? There's no way we'll be able to sneak past them unless every single one of them is distracted."

"And the only way that would happen is if we showed are faces." I muttered, finishing the end of Tyler's thought.

We were silent for a few minutes after that, each of us working to come up with an idea for how to get in. Though I couldn't speak for the other two, it seemed that I reached a dead end an alarming number of times. There was no logical way to get in, not without being seen from hundreds of feet away. Despite my determination to rescue Rocket, I was stumbling quickly toward the conclusion that even _getting in_ to the institution would be impossible.

However, before I could voice this thought aloud, SweetPea suddenly turned towards Tyler. "Hand me the gun and the rope," she demanded, her tone urgent.

"Ok…" Tyler said slowly, fishing the requested items out of his pack.

SweetPea snatched them out of his hands. Hurriedly, she secured the rope onto a curved pipe sticking out from the rooftop, testing it by yanking as hard as possible. It held fast, so she threw the remainder of it over the edge of the roof.

"What are you-" Tyler began.

"Not now," SweetPea interjected, loading the gun and pointing it towards the street below, "I have to time this just right."

I examined her aim, surprised when I found she was aiming at the passing cars rather than the guards. She steadily held the gun, watching the traffic with extreme delicacy.

Out of nowhere, she fired a single bullet at the open window of a passing van. Though I didn't see the shot make contact, it was clear that her aim was dead on, for the van swerved suddenly to the right and plowed through a section of the gate. Stunned by the reckless driver, the guards quickly began surrounding the vehicle, some calling for help and others pulling out their guns as if they thought this was a break-out attempt.

"Come on let's go!" SweetPea cried, grabbing my arm and dragging me towards the rope, where she quickly grabbed hold and descended. Tyler and I came quickly after her.

"What happened to your fear of heights?" he asked once we hit the ground, his expression amused.

"I thought of my sister." She said curtly, gathering herself. "Being afraid will only slow us down, and make our job that much harder. I need to be brave for her."

"Oh," was all Tyler said, a look of genuine respect passing over his face.

"Come on then, the distraction will only distract for so much longer," I insisted, leading the way to the house.

Thanks to the van, a portion of lower-laying wall had been left unguarded, the men having abandoned their posts in light of the careening vehicle. Luckily, all of said men were too distracted to notice us, and we were able to approach without opposition.

"Nice shot SweetPea," I commented as we approached the wall, unable to withhold my admiration for her dead-on timing. She brushed away my comment dismissively. Taking to the wall, we slowly piled over it, sinking to the ground as soon as we were over for fear of being caught. Luck was on our side, for not one guard had noticed us.

Wordlessly, we climbed the long hill towards the house, moving diagonally around to the back of it. We were still unseen, though I heard some shouts of confusion from the guards as the realized what had caused the driver to fall unconscious. Eventually, we made it to one of the back entrances, where we pressed our backs against the wall and took a quick breath.

"Do you still have the key?" I asked, but had no need, because SweetPea had already pulled it out. As she approached the door, I made a silent prayer that Blue hadn't changed the locks. Once again luck (or maybe even misfortune) was on our side, because the key fit nicely and turned until it clicked, after which we pulled the door open and shuffled inside.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Like I said in the first author note up at the top, thank you so so much to everyone who's reading, and please review and comment. **


	13. Depths

Backstab

Chapter 13: Depths

**A/N: Hi! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who is still reading, because looking back to my previous chapters just after Babydoll and SweetPea escaped the institute, they were a little slow (boring, not exciting) and I'm appreciative for everyone who read through it. At the moment it seems like that's only Wolfie-chan, unless a new review shows . . . (hint hint). Regardless, here's the next chapter.**

Oo0oO

I stood with my back against the cool metal door, Tyler and SweetPea doing the same. We were all breathing hard, more from our own fear rather than actual exhaustion. Though the adrenaline pumping through my veins was difficult to ignore, I managed to keep still, patiently waiting for signs of trouble. However, after a few minutes standing there with no evidence of pursuit, we all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ok," I said, taking charge of the situation and walking to stand in front of SweetPea and Tyler, "any idea where we are?"

Taking that as her cue, SweetPea slid the map out of her bag, carefully unfolding it and laying out on the floor before us. "I'd say that we're somewhere around here," she pointed to a small, purposeless hallway on the west wing of the building. "And Rocket should be somewhere around here," she pointed to the circled cluster of abandoned offices on the 2nd floor of the building.

Tyler frowned. "But how are we going to get over there without being spotted? This map shows that the only way is through the main hallway, and if we cut through there we're bound to be caught."

"We could sneak around back outside." SweetPea began thoughtfully, though it was clear by the hesitation on her tone that she inwardly opposed this idea.

I shook my head. "The crash has already drawn their attention for a while now, and by this point the guards have probably returned to their posts. There's no doubt that they'd catch three kids trying to sneak out of the institute."

"Not to mention that there's no closer entrance door in that area except the loading garages," Tyler commented, referring to the map.

SweetPea slumped back against the wall. "So what _can_ we do? We can't cause another distraction or sneak back outside without being seen, and we obviously can't just waltz through the main hallway. Where does that leave us?"

I turned away from them in thought, scanning the narrow hallway for inspiration. It was mostly similar to the rest of the institute, with its dull prison-like walls and floors, illuminated by a few barred light fixtures hanging above our head. My intial thought had been to sneak through the air vents like we had during the last dance, but it was clear that the Lennox House had been specifically designed so that such was impossible.

Frowning, I drifted slowly down the hallway, trying a few of the doors as I did so. For the most part they were all open, leading to empty rooms or abandoned storage closets. Or at least that's what it seemed like. As I tried one of the last doors before the passage connected to the main hallways, I found to my great surprise that it was shut tight. Curious, I pulled tighter, finding that I was unable to budge it.

"Tyler, SweetPea come over here!" I call-whispered to them, watching as they turned from their positions and approached. "This door is locked; it's the only one on this entire hallway that I haven't been able to open."

"You think there's something in there?" Tyler asked.

I shrugged, struggling to control the flaring hope within my chest.

Noting my reaction, SweetPea's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly checked the map. "It doesn't say anything's there…but it also says nothing where we think Blue's hiding Rocket."

I turned toward Tyler, only to find that he had already pulled out the master key, gripping it tightly with anticipation.

"Right," I nodded, and SweetPea and I took up positions on either side of the door.

Slowly, Tyler reached out for the lock, his arm muscles tensing as he did so. The moment he had turned the key, Tyler burst into the room, his hand still on the doorknob in case we needed to make a speedy exit. His expression was hostile and vicious, though it quickly faded as he examined the room's contents.

"There's no one in here, but you guys might want to take a look," he said, lowering his guard and taking a step to the side.

Instantly curious, we peered around the corner and inside. The first thing I noticed was that, instead of looking into a typical square treatment room, it was more of a long narrow closet, lined with old uniforms, cleaning supplies, and bed sheets. The second and perhaps more prominent thing we noticed was the smell, which resembled fungus mixed with rotting corpses.

"Ew what's that smell?" SweetPea exclaimed, covering her nose.

"I don't know but it's horrible," Tyler added, stepping back into the hallway for fresh air.

I was about to make an additional comment, when suddenly an idea began forming in my head, one that made me forget about the horrible stench.

"That's it," I murmured softly, my eyes scanning the assortment of items in the room.

"What's it?" SweetPea probed, having caught my remark.

I turned to give her my full attention, suddenly excited. "SweetPea, I need you to find some wearable uniforms, ones that look as new as possible. Tyler, grab all of the bed sheets you can carry, it doesn't matter if they're torn or whatnot. I have a plan on how we can get to Rocket."

Confused, yet willing to oblige, SweetPea nodded and began searching for suitable orange suits. Tyler likewise began his search, though he was understandably a bit more wary.

"And what is your plan, exactly?" he asked, confused as he bent over a large pile of sheets.

"As we've said before, poking our heads around the facility as we are now is a bad idea, especially given our notoriety with Blue. So I figure that if SweetPea and I can find good uniforms, we can sneak into the main hall with the rest of the girls. I doubt the institute keeps tabs on all of the girls at all times, so we should be safe as long as we don't call attention to ourselves. Then, if we wait until meal time when there's a big crowd, we can sneak up to the second floor in the commotion and hopefully find Rocket."

Tyler hesitated for a moment before commenting, undoubtedly going over the threats of the plan in his mind. "Sounds risky," Tyler breathed, glancing at SweetPea, "and dangerous."

"And what about Tyler?" SweetPea added, stepping out from the closet holding two of the slightly less- soiled uniforms that had been left inside. "Since this is a girl's only asylum, he'll stick out like a sore thumb if he tries to follow us."

I nodded my agreement, having come to the same conclusion. "I need you to help us prepare an escape route. If we're right about Rocket being held on the 2nd floor, I figure that you can use the sheets to fashion an escape."

Tyler snorted. "Are you kidding? I won't last a minute out there. It's like you said earlier, the guards will definitely see me, especially if I have to drag around a pile of sheets as well. I'm with you two."

To my surprise, SweetPea continued the argument for me, literally coming to stand between me and him. "Tyler, please, this may be our only chance to save her. I know it sounds risky and possibly even stupid, but so was Baby's first plan to escape. And it _worked_. You have to trust her on this one, trust _us_." SweetPea insisted.

As I watched Tyler's emotions conflict, I couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation. When I first met Tyler, I was having trouble putting much of any trust in him, especially after the listening to the advice from the old man. But now I watched Tyler in the same situation, unsure of whether or not to trust me on this mission that could undo all of the work we had put into escaping the first time.

Eventually Tyler agreed, and SweetPea and I quickly slipped into the familiar uniforms, leaving Tyler with all of our stuff excluding the map.

"Wait," SweetPea stopped just before we proceeded down the hallway.

She spun around toward Tyler, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. For a moment I thought I saw Tyler jump a little in surprise, but he didn't back away. After a few seconds they separated, SweetPea's face a pale red.

Tyler smiled, giving SweetPea one last, loving gaze. Then he stepped back and disappeared out the door.

Oo0oO


	14. Confessions

Backstab

Chapter 14: Confessions

**A/N: In case anyone is confused about what Tyler says later in this chapter, Brattleboro, Vermont is the city the Institute was in, it says so on the gate entrance in the movie. **

Oo0oO

I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the sounds of SweetPea's muffled crying to prevent myself from doing the same. I could tell she was trying her best to hold it in, but despite all her effort tears continued to stream down her face.

"It's all over," she said between ragged breaths, clutching her knees where she sat on the floor, "Blue finally won."

From my position across from her, I shook my head slightly. "Not yet, and he never will as long as we're still alive."

I heard SweetPea scoff slightly, anger rising to replace her grief. "How can you say that with such confidence?"

"How can you give up so easily?" I countered, my voice surprisingly calm.

However, despite my earnest intentions, SweetPea glared at me, unable to withhold her bitterness. "There's a difference between giving up and knowing when enough is enough. Normally I would agree with you, but…" she faded off, turning her hard gaze to the floor. "It's over. We can't win this fight."

Unwilling to let myself come to a similar conclusion; I drew my attention away from SweetPea, focusing my attention on the empty wall.

At first, it had seemed that everything was going according to plan, that we were truly going to be able to pull this off and free Rocket. Blending in with the other girls had been easy, as was sneaking away during meal time towards the back of the institute. Thanks to the mass of guards working to search for us outside the facility, the girls here were under much lighter watch than usual, and no one took notice of the two of us breaking off towards the back of the Lennox House.

From there, we had a fairly simple time navigating our way through the halls, the lack of guards making out job that much easier. However, we must have made a wrong turn somewhere, for when we reached our destination we found ourselves in a room full of Blue's men. We fought hard, and managed to take down about two or three of them just using the knife and our fists. But in the end, their numbers overwhelmed us. After much squirming and fighting, SweetPea and I had been dragged somewhere deeper in the institute, and locked in the tiny makeshift prison room where we now sat.

Here I glanced behind me to look at SweetPea, disappointed to see that she was still quite tense. Not wanting to goad her, I returned my attention to the wall.

I had no idea what Blue intended to do with us, so I clung tightly onto the only emotion beside hate that I had left. Hope. Hope that Tyler would figure something was wrong and save us, and maybe free Rocket on the way. Hope that we'd all find a way out and live happily ever after. Hope for a miracle.

I was still hoping when the pale green door swung open and three guards filed in, carrying Tyler by his shoulders.

"Let go of me!" he demanded, kicking and struggling in their grasp. In response, the men ungraciously deposited Tyler on the floor, closing the door just before he spun around and slammed his fists against it.

"Damn it!" he growled, beads of sweat gathering on his face. Tyler took a moment to collect himself before turning around, assessing the situation. He was almost unrecognizable at a glance, his face covered with purple bruises and cuts and swollen blackness around his left eye.

"What happened?" I asked, standing up from my uncomfortable sitting position on the floor.

"The guards. They caught me sneaking around the back of the building when I was trying to find out which window to tie the escape rope to. I tried to fight them but..." he gestured to his beaten body. "What about you two?"

"We made a wrong turn and walked into a room full of them," I answered simply, "We didn't have a chance."

Tyler nodded once, and then slumped back against the door in a sort of defeat. For a few moments there was silence, only broken by the faint sound of our breathing.

"So what now?" Tyler asked quietly, echoing my thoughts. I glanced towards SweetPea, knowing what her answer was going to be.

"Nothing. It's over, Blue wins."

"It can't be over," I demanded softly, though I could hear the desperation in my own voice. "There has to be something more we can do or use against him."

As my words were met with more silence, I felt the hope and exhilaration draining from my body, and I sank soundlessly down to the floor next to Tyler and SweetPea. No one said anything for a while; we just sat there, all wrapped in our own thoughts. Tyler was the first to speak up, and when he did his voice sounded deflated and tired.

"Babydoll, SweetPea. In case this really is it… there's something I need to tell you. Something I should have said long ago. About why I really helped you two that day."

SweetPea and I curiously looked towards Tyler, unsure of where he was going with this.

"I'm sorry I haven't told you guys everything, but I didn't want you to judge me based on my past, only on who I am now," he smirked. "But now that it's over anyways I guess it really doesn't matter."

"As you probably already guessed I was born here in Brattleboro and lived here my entire life. My mom and my dad raised me in an apartment not far from the Lennox House; in the building we slept under the first night I met you guys." Tyler smiled slightly, reminiscing. "It was my mom who wanted to name me Tyler, and I took her last name 'Summers' instead of my dad's. One day, my mom decided to visit my Dad at his work, which was The Lennox House for the mentally insane."

My eyes widened, but I held my breath as I waited from him to finish.

"When my mom found out what really happens in here, she was furious, and threatened to tell the police and have this place shut down. My dad tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge." Here, Tyler's right hand closed into a fist.

"She disappeared the next day. I woke up and she wasn't there, she was just… gone. The police didn't find anything; they just put up a missing person's report and left it alone. My father acted just as shocked as I felt, but I could tell he didn't mean it. He never went searching for her, he never even tried. In fact he got a new girlfriend just a few weeks later. So I ran away into the deeper parts of the city. My father actually looked for me, which of course only added to my hatred for him. But eventually he just gave up, and I was free."

Tyler sighed. "But I wasn't free. I still ached inside like something was missing from life. At first I assumed it was my mother, so I went looking for her. I never found her of course, and the aching didn't stop. Then one day I met a girl named Hailey. She had escaped from the institute, and lost her best friend Honey on the way. She told me what really happened inside the institute, and I finally understood everything. Of course I wanted revenge on my father, especially after I learned the truth about the Lennox House. Ever since then I helped any escaped girls make it to freedom, doing my best to hide them from the police and give them shelter."

"But after a while I realized that that wasn't enough, that the only way to truly end this was to stop my father." Tyler looked up from the floor, and glanced quickly at both SweetPea and I. "When I met you two, I finally found someone with equal motivation for revenge on my father. So I helped you like I helped everyone else, but I also convinced you that we had to kill him, that it was the only way to stop this."

There was a deep silence as Tyler uttered this concluding statement, and I thought I could actually feel my mouth drop open. However, it was SweetPea who spoke first.

"You… _used_ us? This entire time we thought you wanted to help but you were just _using_ us to get to your father?" SweetPea demanded, her voice quiet and hurt.

"No it's not like that-"

"Did you not help us mainly because of our ties? Did you not become closer to us so you could gain our trust to help you kill your father?!" SweetPea yelled, now full on crying.

"Yes but I never meant to hurt either of you, especially you SweetPea. As soon as I learned how many upper hands my father had-"

"Don't try to protect us Tyler," I half-whispered angrily. "Say his name."

Tyler flinched, but continued his sentence. "As soon as I learned how many men Blue had, and all the risks he was willing to take to catch you, I wanted to pull back so you would both be safe. But when he showed you that he had Rocket… I knew there was no way I could dissuade you."

SweetPea opened her mouth to argue again, but at that moment the door swung open, giving Tyler barely enough time to jump out of the way of being smashed between it and the wall. Six of Blue's men arranged themselves inside our room and just outside the hall, their eyes cold. Then, they parted like water as someone moved through their ranks, until he stood before us in all his glory.

Watching our expressions with a look of amusement, Blue smiled victoriously. "Welcome back."

Oo0oO

**A/N: Thanks again to all the readers and reviewers. But this time I mean what I am saying. Unless someone other than Wolfie-chanLovesSilently reviews, I WILL NOT UPDATE AGAIN! **


	15. Reunions

Backstab

Chapter 15: Reunions

**A/N: Ok so right after I posted my last chapter I almost immediately got 2 new reviews not from my friend Wolfie (yay!) so as reward I am posting this chapter early. Ok, so I know that this is actually right on time and not early, but considering I am now winging it as to what happens next this **_**is**_** sort of early…**

Oo0oO

We stood up to face Blue, not out of respect more than the fact that none of us wanted to have to look up at him from a submissive position on the floor. He was still smiling, but it failed to reach his cold, dark eyes. Said eyes surveyed our group calmly, amusement passing over his face.

"You know, I thought I had you all figured out." Blue began, his eyes locked with mine. "Ever since you came here you intended to escape; as all girls do of course. But you especially had reason to escape. You lost everything to your step-father, or so you see it, and you wanted to escape to get revenge for what he made you suffer through. So you illustrated an elaborate and incredibly risky escape plan, escaped, without of course, losing a few friends along the way, but almost willingly threw away your freedom and came back...only to rescue a friend?"

Here Blue turned to SweetPea, trapping her in his harsh gaze. "I guess I should thank you," he chuckled slightly, but his laughter was not warm." For being such a good, loving sister and insisting on returning for her. If it weren't for you and your sister, I might have never had found her again." he motioned towards me with his eyes.

"What do you want from them?" Tyler demanded, speaking up for the first time since Blue entered the room. Blue's gaze drifted slowly to Tyler. "Well, it seems you made a friend." he stated, his voice still icily calm. "And what I want from them...is none of your concern, young man."

"My name is Tyler," Tyler snapped, his voice hard and unforgiving.

For a brief moment, I saw Blue lose his icy composure, and saw the shock and confusion register on his face. However, he recovered not a second later, though now his smile was replaced by a puzzled frown. "Take the girls to Room 306. Don't bother binding them, though."

"What about the boy...sir?" asked a young, blonde guard just inside the doorway.

"Bring the boy to me." he said coldly, then silently disappeared down the hallway.

Oo0oO

Tyler walked silently in the center of guards, wincing each time they shoved a gun into his back to speed him up. He clenched his jaw tightly in anger, though if it was more directed at Blue or himself he did not know. He was stupid for thinking they could actually take on Blue, let alone kill him. And now he and the girls were captured, and it was all his fault. If he hadn't suggested coming back in the first place, SweetPea and Babydoll would be long gone, and none of this would have happened. Now, he was paying the price; SweetPea and Babydoll being locked away for some later, unknown purpose, and his father requesting a private meeting. He wasn't sure it could possibly get much worse.

At that moment, they arrived at what Tyler assumed to be Blue's private office. After pounding twice on the door and waiting for a faint "enter", the guards shoved Tyler through. 

Oo0oO

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

(This scene and the next one happen during the same period of time, indicated by the line of .-'s)

SweetPea and I walked shoulder-to-shoulder through the dim hallways, surrounded on all sides by large, armed guards. They boxed us in tightly, so tightly that looking around I could see nothing but their massive bodies. Though I had a feeling that was Blue's intention, so that we couldn't tell where we were or how to get escape.

Steadily, we proceeded through endless hallways and countless turns, until eventually the guards abruptly stopped walking. Then, the lead guard produced a single silver key from his suit pocket, slipped it into the lock of an ominous, black door, and pulled it open. Immediately, SweetPea and I received a rough shove from behind, forcing us through the doorway. The moment both of our feet were in the room, the door slammed closed behind us.

SweetPea spun around and snatched the handle, hoping to grab it before the lock caught. But she was merely a second late, and the door was unresponsive. Sighing, she slowly released her grip and turned away from the door, her expression somber and the area around her eyes still red from crying. We surveyed the room.

Our new holding room was very similar to the last, the width being roughly the same and the length only a few times longer. Also, instead of being completely empty, there was a single chair, and tied to that chair was a familiar girl.

"Rocket!" SweetPea exclaimed and rushed toward her sister, her misery forgotten. I too rushed forwards, amazement and relief rushing through me.

She stirred as we spoke, her eyelids fluttering open. "Wha- what? SweetPea is that you?" Rocket asked, her voice hoarse, as if she hadn't used it in days.

"It's both of us," I said, untying the ropes that bound her hands and legs to the chair. She stood up slowly, stretching like a cat, before SweetPea threw herself around her sister.

"Hey get off me!" Rocket complained, though she was smiling widely at the reunion.

"I thought you were dead," SweetPea said quietly, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks as she held her sister.

"Me too," Rocket replied, gratefully returning the hug.

I stood off to the side as I watched the exchange, and said nothing until Rocket addressed me.

"It's so good to see you're still alive too Baby," Rocket said warmly, tackle-hugging me playfully. Then she stepped back, stretching her arms high above her head. "So what now?"

SweetPea and I exchanged a quick glance, and after a moment I spoke up. "We got caught by Blue's guards when trying to rescue you."

Rocket's eyes widened in shock. "What? How? I mean, how did you know I was alive?"

"Blue sent us a photo of you passed out and tied to a chair," SweetPea explained, "so we came back to rescue you. But…"

Rocket was silent for a moment, looking as though she were deep in thought. "What about the boy I heard you were traveling with? Is he-"

"Alive, yes, but Blue captured him too and requested the guards to bring him to him." I answered, looking down at the floor.

Rocket sat back down on the chair, exhaustion passing over her features despite her recent slumber. She rested her head in her cupped hands. "Well, then it looks like we're back to square 1. Only worse."

"What do you mean 'worse'?" SweetPea questioned, a twinge of fear in her voice.

"Ever since you guys escaped, Blue's been going crazy trying to find you. He's been sending his men all over the city to locate you, especially Baby."

Both of their eyes turned towards me.

"I don't understand. Why would Blue want me so badly?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion.

"Besides that he wants you to give yourself to the high roller, I'm not sure. But he's been talking about how he needs you for some big plan he's working on. That you're the 'key' to it all. I don't know what it is…but it doesn't sound good."

We all fell silent after that, none of us wanting to suggest any of the horrible things Blue would want me for. By now I felt my mind racing with fear, and it took all of my effort to stay calm and control my breathing.

After a while, our silence was interrupted by the opening of the door and Tyler being shoved into our cell, looking shaken but angry. Then the guards who pushed him in walked just inside the doorway, both of their eyes trained on me. "The boss has requested you."

Oo0oO

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tyler looked around the pale blue office, slowly observing his father's tidy work place. It was unnerving how closely it resembled the office Blue had in his old home. Neat, organized, but entirely unfriendly. There were no picture frames holding images of friends or family, no personal items to represent hobbies or interests of any kind, nothing. It was bleak, hard, and efficient. Just like Blue.

Having finished his observation, Tyler eventually acknowledged the man behind the large oak desk.

"Blue."

Blue was silent for a moment, his fingertips touching together in front of his face as he observed Tyler. He lowered them slowly. "Tyler…is it really you? Son?"

Now it was Tyler who hesitated, caught off guard by the slight affection in his father's tone. "I am your son," he confirmed, his gaze steady, "but you have never been my father."

Blue looked taken aback at his son's harsh words, but after a moment an innocent smile formed across Blue's face.

"Tyler, you always were a bit…rebellious." He rose from his seat, "It is so nice to see you son. My guards stationed outside your room told me it was you who first convinced the girls to return to the Lennox House. I must thank you for that boy."

"Leave them out of this," Tyler demanded, desperation creeping into his words, "any quarrel you have is with me."

"I have no quarrel with you Tyler, and like I said before, what I need with them is none of you concern. You are home now Tyler, you are safe." Blue took a step towards his son.

Tyler backed away. "This isn't my home, and it never will be. I know what happens here, what_ really_ happens here. And so did my mother. That's why she's gone. You got rid of her, you couldn't stop what you were doing but you couldn't risk the authorities finding out. So you just made it seem like she disappeared, acted as shocked as everyone else, but inside you _knew_."

Blue stopped for a moment, the accusation flooring him somewhat. However, it was not long before rage began dominating his features. "You know nothing, Tyler. Your mind has been corrupted by lies. The lies of whom I do not know. But you are wrong. I do not know what happened to your mother…and I miss her very dearly, as I can tell you do. But taking your emotions out on me will not bring her back. You have to calm down, and take a deep breath-"

"I don't need to calm down!" Tyler demanded, trying to keep his voice under control. "You're a liar, that's all you've ever been. I _hate_ you."

Blue stopped, looking like he'd just received a slap across the face, and Tyler was glad. Though he could also see the emotions at war in his father's eyes; sadness, and anger, and hatred all fighting for control. Anger won, and Blue now regarded him like a disobedient, ugly dog.

"You have just crossed a line, that I begged that you would not cross, boy. Do not try to even think that I will hesitate to hurt my own son, because I will not hesitate, even for you." Blue said quietly, leaning close to Tyler's face. He then straightened himself, and summoned for his men. Two immediately came into the office. "Take the boy and put him with the others, I am done with him. And bring me the girl. We have much to discuss."

Oo0oO

**A/N: Please review and comment! And thanks so much to all the readers! **


	16. The Key

Backstab

Chapter 16: The Key

Oo0oO

I didn't struggle as the guards guided me down the unpleasantly familiar, dreary hallways, possibly because my mind still hadn't fully grasped the situation yet. The corridors we trekked through were dully lit and uncomfortably cool, the air still and dry like an old subway station. The hallways were also bitterly quiet, the only sounds I could hear being the rhythmic thump of our footsteps. The quiet was somewhat soothing; however, allowing my thoughts to drift to a few of the endless questions that plagued my mind.

Blue finally had us, of that I knew. But what I didn't know was what was _next_? Why had Blue gone through so much trouble to find us, specifically me? Also, what did Blue mean when he called me 'the key' behind his plans? More questions bubbled inside my head, but by this time we'd reached Blue's office, and the guards had abruptly stopped walking. After unlocking the door with the same silver key, the head guard stepped aside and motioned for me to enter. Taking a breath, I stepped slowly through the doorway.

Though I had expected to see Blue's old, familiar office where we had stolen the map from, this one was noticeably different. For one thing, we didn't take the stairs getting there, so we were presumably still on the second floor. Also, though the large oak desk resembled the one from his old office, the papers and supplies stacked on it were noticeably cleaner and neater. Pinned on the pale blue wall behind his desk was another map of the Institute, similar to ours but with every room neatly labeled in thin, scratchy handwriting. Behind the desk in a large black swivel chair sat Blue, his jaw set and the veins along his neck bulging, as though he had just finished yelling at someone. When he saw me, however, all signs of anger melted, to be replaced with a look of satisfaction and arrogance.

"Baby," he said, rising from his chair and motioning for his guards to close the door.

I took a half step back as he walked around the edge of his desk, his eyes sparkling mischievously. He crossed them room in a few, measured strides, coming closer until he had backed me against the wall. As Blue came ever closer to me, I felt my situation comparable to that of a canary trapped in an iron cage, unable to do anything but watch as a its tormentor the cat crept up upon it. Such was a horrible, helpless sort of feeling, one that kicked my senses into high gear and begged my limbs to take flight. And yet, there was nowhere to go.

Swallowing, I watched as Blue moved his body inches away from my own, his lips brushing softly against my ear. "There's no knife to protect you this time," he breathed, resting his right arm on the wall beside me. "There's nothing to stop me."

Shakily, I let out a long breath, my body tensing. Thankfully, he came no closer, moving to lift my chin with his cool hand.

"Not this time, I'm afraid," he said somewhat softly, though regret and longing were in his voice. "I have much bigger plans for you." He took a big step away from the wall, and then strolled casually back over to his desk.

"What do you want from me?" I questioned, my voice surprisingly steady.

"What I want? I want a lot of things from you, but not all of them I am willing to share." He said sweetly, pausing for a brief moment. "Right now you're, probably expecting me to rant out my plans to you, unveil my secrets like all villains do when they capture the hero. Then later the hero, you, escape and foil my plans, and you and your friends get to live happily ever after." He flashed a smirk. "I will tell you my plans, don't get me wrong, but not because I am stupid. Simply, because I know that no matter how hard you try, there is _nothing_ you can do to stop me." By now Blue was reseated in his chair, settled into a corner of it like he was lounging without a care in the world.

Despite my attempts to withhold it, I felt a shiver run down my back at his words, at his complete confidence that I was at his mercy. Mostly because I feared he was right.

Seeing that I had nothing to say, Blue continued. "The first time I saw you dance, I was...entranced. With your grace, with your passion, with...you. Of course at the time I simply believed that it was because I had never seen such dancing, but that was not the case. Even the second time I could not take my eyes off of you, nor could almost anyone in the entire theater. But, it wasn't until you tried to escape that I realized the full potential of your talent."

I drew a small breath, but said nothing.

"When you dance, you are like a hypnotist. You manipulate people's minds; put them under an almost literal spell. Unlike a hypnotist, however, people are willing you watch you; they allow themselves to lose their sense of everything in your movements. And that is a quality that has never been captured before, a rare and powerful quality."

"I…don't understand," I stammered, though inside I knew exactly what he meant.

"You see, when you and your friends tried to, escape, you used your dance as a distraction to steal from various people, including me. If you and your friends can do it, why can't others? People can use your dance as a distraction, or to manipulate someone into giving them what they want. So I simply 'sell' you in time slots to wealthy suitors who need this quality, accompanied by a guard of course, you dance, they get what they want, and then they send you back and the process repeats."

"That's insane," I breathed after a moment, my hand balled into a fist, "I'll never help you, and it will never work."

"Oh I think it will," he smiled, "you and your friends already proved that. And you will help me. Unless of course you'd like me to kill your friends."

"You wouldn't," I responded instinctively, though something deep inside of me told me he would.

"Wouldn't I? Granted, I wouldn't necessarily want to, considering the girls bring in good money for my shows. But if you don't cooperate then I will have no choice."

"You can't just kill them, someone will notice, they'll find out what you're doing in here and shut you down."

He raised an eyebrow. "Looks like someone's grasping at straws now. Regardless, the authorities still think SweetPea is out there, and Tyler also, so killing and dumping them wouldn't be too hard. And as for her sister…there are ways of making deaths look like accidents."

"You're insane, you're a monster!" I was at the verge of tears now, but I struggled to fight through.

"None of that has to happen if you just do what I say. Go where I ask you to, dance, and come back. And when you are old and can no longer serve my purposes, I will let you all go free. Just like that." Blue said with a note of finality.

"I won't… I can't…" I struggled to find words, a single tear sliding down my cheek.

Blue smirked. "I'll give you time to think in your own quiet cell, but choose wisely. And until you do..." he called for his guards to open the door. "Put her in room 415, and make sure she's comfortable." His gaze turned towards me. "Until she gives me an answer, don't give the other prisoners anything but a small cup of water each day. In contrast, feed her 3 meals a day, small portions, but good food. Don't bring her back until she agrees to work for me."

With that, the guards dragged me out of Blue's office. As they closed the door, I could see Blue's victorious smile, his fierce eyes never leaving my face.

Oo0oO

SweetPea lay flat on the cool ground, trying to ignore her pang of hunger. She stared at the plain white ceiling until her vision blurred, before tiredly moving to an upright position. It was hopeless. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many scenarios she played through in her head, she couldn't think of one where they came out on top. Blue had every upper hand, and he had used it all to his advantage. He knew that she couldn't leave her sister, and had used Rocket to bait his trap for them. And they had walked right into it.

At the memory of this, SweetPea winced. They had thought that they would be safe, that because they had escaped once they couldn't be captured again. They felt… invincible, they had felt confident despite the obvious risks. Even she, who usually was the most clear-headed of the group, had been blinded by her love for her sister, by Baby's confidence, and Tyler's subtle encouragement. And as a result, they were all paying the price now.

Still distracted by this, a sudden itch appeared at the back of SweetPea's neck, and she instinctively scratched it. As her nails dug into her skin, they caught on a thin metal chain. Surprised, SweetPea lifted the metal chain off of her neck, staggered to find it part of a long forgotten necklace.

"Tyler, Rocket, come over here!" SweetPea called quickly, summoning them from the other end of the room.

"What is it?" Rocket demanded, concern coating her words.

SweetPea held up the necklace, receiving amazed and hopeful looks as the examined the object hanging at the end of it.

"We still have the key."

Oo0oO

**A/N: There it is! Sorry this is a day late, but I've had a busy week. Unfortunately next week will be too, especially with Christmas on Sunday. Still, I'll try my best to update on time. Thanks again to all the readers and reviewers! **


	17. Panic Switch

Backstab

Chapter 17: Panic Switch

**A/N: Hey everyone! I know it seems pathetic that even though we're off of school I still managed to post only a day early, but I've been swamped with Christmas chores, shopping, and cookie-making all this week. It seems my work never ends. Regardless, hear is your chapter. **

Oo0oO

"Dinner," said a gruff voice at the door, opening it just long enough to shove in the platter of food before slamming it shut again. I sat up from where I was laying on the bed, walking to retrieve it. 'It' was a plate of potato-like mush with some shriveled bits of meat substance on the side. Sighing, I took the dish back to the bed and slowly picked at the food with my fork, chewing it half-heartedly. I didn't have the stomach to eat after my chat with Blue, but I hunger compelled me to do so anyways.

Yet, at the thought of my own hunger, my mind flashed back to SweetPea, Rocket, and Tyler, slowly starving to death as I selfishly dined on my provisions. A wave of nausea suddenly rising in my stomach, I pushed the plate away. It had already been two hours since Blue locked me in the cell, and about seven since my friends had last eaten.

Sighing, I swallowed the guilty bile in my throat, knowing the longer I waited to give Blue the answer he wanted, the longer they had to suffer. Somewhere within me, I knew we couldn't let Blue win, not after all SweetPea and I had gone through to escape. Yet, I also couldn't let my friends starve to death. Caught in a stalemate, I had settled on simply waiting, waiting and hoping.

But now I realized that waiting would only postpone my surrender, and torture my friends in the process. My mind flashed back to a conversation I'd had with SweetPea when Blue had first caught us. I'd assured her that we would get out, that Blue hadn't won.

_But he has,_ I thought bitterly to myself. _Blue finally has me right where he wants me. And there's nothing I can do to stop him._

I let out a shaky breath, unwilling to give Blue the satisfaction of making me cry. Instead, I walked slowly to the thick metal door that separated me from the hallway, and rapped on it twice until I heard the guard on the other side grumble a "what?".

"I'm ready to give Blue his answer."

Oo0oO 

"We still have the key," SweetPea breathed excitedly, holding it up for them to see.

"What? How? The guards took all of our stuff as soon as they caught us," Tyler said, his expression incredulous.

"I hung it around my neck to make sure I didn't lose it," SweetPea explained, "and I forgot about it until just now."

"Does it work?" asked Rocket.

In response, SweetPea stood from her position on the floor, walking over to the door to the hallway.

"Wait!" Tyler cried, realizing what she intended to do. He rushed to intercept her, stopping her only a few feet from the thick metal door. "Don't open that door. More than likely there are armed guards just outside there. If they catch us, if anyone catches us, it will ruin the one chance we have to escape."

"Who said anything about getting caught?" Rocket asked calmly, swiping the key away from SweetPea. She slowly pushed it in the lock, turning it until it gave a sharp click. She grasped the handle tightly, turning it and opening the door just a crack before she kicked out and the door flew open. Where it should have hit the wall, there was a loud and painful thump instead, followed immediately by a red-haired guard sinking to the floor.

"What, John?" the guard on the door's other side cried, before turning to face them. He quickly raised his tranquilizer gun to fire, only to be cut off as a hand buried itself in the base of his neck. Soundlessly, he crumpled to the floor, revealing SweetPea standing triumphantly behind him.

"Where did you learn that?" Rocket asked, unmistakable admiration for her sister in her voice.

"It doesn't matter," she said doggedly, glancing at Tyler.

Tyler, who had been watching with silent respect for the girls, quickly regained his male dominance. "Grab their guns," Tyler commanded, taking one and giving the second one to SweetPea. "We have to find Baby and get out of here, quickly," he insisted.

"Hold on, gimmie a sec," Rocket demanded. As SweetPea and Tyler looked on curiously, she searched the unconscious bodies of the guards until she found two key rings, keeping one for herself and throwing the other to Tyler. Then Rocket dragged the guards into the makeshift cell they came from, shutting and locking the door.

"Good thinking Rocket, now which way do we go?" It was SweetPea who asked, examining the confusing maze of hallways.

"Follow me, I think I know the way," said Tyler. He hesitated for a moment as he retraced his steps from earlier, before suddenly bolting to his right. After exchanging a glance, SweetPea and Rocket trailed behind him.

Oo0oO

After walking a good ways through many corridors, about half of which had been pleasantly empty, they approached a four way intersection bustling with Blue's men. Looking down the intersection, farther down the hallway they were currently walking on was Blue's office.

"We'll never make it without being seen," Rocket whispered, peering around a nearby corner. She drew back around to face Tyler and SweetPea. "Are you positive that's his office?"

Tyler nodded, "I'm pretty sure. Also, since it's at the end of a straight dead end hallway, him or the guards could easily see anyone coming to or from it. It's perfect."

Rocket frowned, "That being said, there's no way we could get there, get Baby, and escape all without being seen or caught."

There was a grim silence as the group assessed the situation, looking around desperately for an alternative entrance to the office.

"What we need is another distraction," Tyler mumbled under his breath, his eyes scanning the busy halls.

As if on cue, a young guard suddenly came sprinting down an adjacent hallway, his eyes wild with surprise and fear. "There are two girls running down the Institute hill! We need reinforcements-"

He was cut off by the loud shouts of older, superior guards, and suddenly the hallway was nearly empty as the crowd ran after the young one.

"Wow, what luck," Rocket breathed.

"Come on, we still don't have much time," Tyler insisted, and they bolted down the hallway, quickly taking down the two men left to guard the office.

As Tyler and SweetPea dragged the men into a nearby room, Rocket propped open the door, just to catch in on the middle of a conversation.

"-you'd come around," Blue was saying, his attention on a familiar girl standing nearest the door.

"But you promise you won't hurt them? Tyler included?" Babydoll questioned, her tone anxious.

Blue frowned when she said his name, "I gave my word that I wouldn't hurt any of them so long as you promise to work for me…not even Tyler. But if you try to run, if you try anything-"

"I won't," Baby replied, her gaze lowering to the ground in defeat.

Rocket drew back from the door, shocked and horrified to see her headstrong friend so submissive; especially to…she couldn't stand to think of his name. Turning around, her eye caught on an abandoned gun lying on the floor.

Oo0oO

"I won't," I replied, my gaze lowering to the ground.

"I didn't think so," Blue smiled, cold and triumphant. "Guards," he called out, frowning when there was no immediate response, "guards!"

Without warning, the door burst open like it had been blown by a great gust of wind, and there stood Rocket, holding a tranquilizer gun loaded and aimed at Blue.

"Rocket!" I called, hope flaring in my chest.

Blue swore, standing up from his chair.

"Don't move," Rocket growled, her eyes blazing as she trained the gun at his chest.

Blue didn't, only stared angrily back at her. Clearly we had caught him off guard, and yet for some reason there was no fear in his expression. If anything there was almost mild amusement…

"Wait Rocket don't!" I cried, a second to late. From beneath the table Blue drew out a gun; similar to Rocket's with only one difference, it was real.

He squeezed the trigger, the bullet erupting from the barrel, and at the same moment Rocket shot hers. I almost thought I could see the bullets cross in air, the bigger pointier one from the tranquilizer gun and the small, thicker revolver bullet passing inches away from each other. Both bullets hit there mark, Blue jerking back as Rocket's nestled itself in his jacket, and Rocket collapsing as Blue's flew through her shirt.

"Rocket!" cried SweetPea, who had just arrived at the open door, falling to her knees next to her sister.

Meanwhile, the girl in question cried out in agony, her body trembling from shock. Her mouth falling open, I saw her hand move shakily to her chest, skimming lightly over the blood already beginning to stain her shirt. Then, as if registering what was happening, Rocket's head fell back a little, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"Oh no Rocket no no no this can't be happening," SweetPea sobbed, shaking almost as badly as her sister. "Rocket please, Rocket. Don't let me lose you again please!"

Rocket smiled faintly, her mouth falling slightly open as if she meant to say something. But suddenly a spasm shook her body, and she whimpered as fresh blood began to flow from her wound.

"Don't move, we need to get you help," I blurted, sinking beside her on the ground. In desperation, I looked back at Tyler, who had been standing silently in the doorway. "Please, Tyler she needs help." I said rapidly, tears pooling in my eyes. "We can't leave her here she's going to… please she needs help!"

His face full of grief, Tyler only looked on sadly, shaking his head.

Catching his meaning, SweetPea let out a long, hollow cry, burying her head in her sister's chest. Meanwhile, I clasped Rocket's hand between my own, too afraid to let go.

For the next few minutes, Rocket's breaths were shallow and shaky, her heartbeat progressively growing weaker. I sobbed desperately as I watched the life drain from her body, held her hand until I lost her heartbeat and her breath was gone, the only sounds I could hear were the grief-stricken moans of her sister and my own soft sobs.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Seemed like a good place to stop, though heartbreaking. Thanks again to all the readers and reviewers! Please tell me what you think! **


	18. Guilt

Backstab

Chapter 18: Guilt

**A/N: Ok, I know I'm late, but I was up celebrating all New Year's, and the day after I just crashed. Also, I had a huge writer's block, which also explains the delay. So here's the story.  
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Oo0oO 

SweetPea cradled Rocket's head between her hands, murmuring words too soft for me to hear as a relentless river of tears streamed down her cheeks. Tyler, who had been standing silently at the door, slid down beside SweetPea, intending to comfort her. She immediately buried her head in Tyler's shoulder; who, after a moment of pause, comfortingly encircled her in his arms.

I watched the scene unfold, before retuning my attention to Rocket's hand in mine. Reluctantly, I let it slip through my grasp, where it landed with a dull thud on the floor. I closed my eyes, struggling to regain control of my breathing as my mind processed what had just happened. _She's gone_, I thought somberly to myself, _she's really gone_.

The scene replayed like a broken record in my mind; how she fearlessly rushed into the room to stop me from making the deal with Blue, the anger and pain and determination she spoke with when she spoke to him, the crack as the bullets erupted from their guns, how both Rocket and Blue collapsed to the floor as the bullets struck home. Most of all, Rocket's last, hopeful smile before she passed, a smile I had come to know so well through our time together, a smile now lost forever.

And it was all my fault. If I had only held out a little longer in my cell, Rocket wouldn't have confronted Blue, and she wouldn't have been shot. They would have found me, and we would have escaped, we would have had the real freedom that we'd been fighting for, together. Instead, my stupidity and love for my friends had driven me to give in to Blue, and as a result Rocket was dead, and SweetPea had to suffer the pain of watching her sister die before her very eyes. I cursed my thoughtlessness, another wave of sadness and self-hatred rising in my chest.

"It's not your fault," Tyler voice cut through my thoughts.

I turned to see him staring towards me, sadness and pain dominating his expression.

I shook my head at him. "If I hadn't left my cell, if I hadn't agreed to help Blue...None of this would have happened."

"If you hadn't? If I hadn't been so stupid and eager to get revenge on my father, we would've never gotten caught in the first place!" he exclaimed in frustration. "Because of me we walked right in to Blue's hands. He _forced_ you to agree to his offer, while I decided to lead you back out of my own free will. And because of it, Rocket's dead and I'm… I'm.."

"Stop," SweetPea interjected, her voice small and broken. Tyler and I turned towards her, both of us falling to silence.

"It's neither of your faults," she insisted, shakily standing up. "Tyler, you're not the reason your mother disappeared, you're not responsible for the hatred towards your father. And Baby, you only left your cell out of concern for us, and only agreed to help Blue because you knew it was the only way for us to survive. None of this is either of your faults, all of it is Blue's." she paused to get her point across. "Tyler, Blue probably the reason your mother went missing, why you hate him so much that it drove you to lead us back here. Baby, he's the reason you ever thought of escaping in the first place, and the reason Amber and Blondie and Rocket are dead. He's responsible."

Now, we all glanced towards Blue: the man who put us through so much grief, so much suffering these past weeks, who was now lying unconscious on the floor.

"SweetPea is right," I agreed, standing up as well. "Blue is the one who put us through all of this pain, it isn't out faults. We can't keep blaming ourselves for his actions."

"I agree," Tyler said, rising from his position on the floor.

We all turned to Blue, collapsed and unmoving on the floor.

"What do we do with him?" SweetPea questioned, looking back and forth between Tyler and I.

"We could kill him, to make sure he never puts anyone through this ever again," Tyler suggested, crossing his arms over his chest as if the idea made him slightly uncomfortable.

"We could lock him in one of these rooms and leave him to starve," SweetPea said quietly, though bitterly. "Baby?"

I remained quiet, still observing the man on the floor. "Would that make us any better than him?" I said, suddenly upset by their suggestions. "It's true that Blue has put us through some horrible things, but no one, not even Blue deserves anything like that. We need to turn Blue in to the police, and expose his crimes once and for all."

"But how? This place is still crawling with Blue's men, so I doubt we could escape while Blue is still alive, and even if we do escape and make it to the police, they will turn us in the moment they see us," Tyler argued.

I stopped, considering Tyler's arguments and trying to find a way through them.

"Unless, we're not the ones who go to the police," SweetPea spoke up slowly.

"How? We can't tell our story to anyone unless we expect to be turned in," Tyler said.

"Unless...we find someone who already knows our story," I said quickly, catching on to SweetPea's idea.

"Someone who was probably threatened into silence, but will help us if she knows that Blue doesn't have anything against her anymore," SweetPea added.

"Who are you talking about? I thought you said all the girls other than you involved in your escape plan were killed," Tyler said, puzzled.

"They were, but one other person found out our plan, and Blue kept her alive because her death would have aroused some uncomfortable questions for him," I explained.

"Well if she isn't one of the girls who tried to escape, then who is she?"

"Madam Gorski."

Oo0oO

**A/N: Short chapter, I know, but it was needed to move the story along. Thanks so much to all the readers out there! All comments and reviews appreciated!**


	19. Madame Gorski

Chapter 19: Madam Gorski

Oo0oO

Madam Gorski stood alone in the center of the dance studio, her eyes closed. On most days, there was hardly a time that the studio was empty, with girls coming and going in between their different cleaning duties. But there was a performance tonight, a rather large one; Blue's attempt to recover from the embarrassment of the previous one.

Tears stung Madam Gorski's eyes as she thought back to that day. She had seen Blue lash out before, his temper breaking through his usually smooth character. But to murder two of the girls, some of the Institute's finest dancer's... Of course, other girls had attempted escape before, and some had been killed in the process. But those deaths had been an accident…or so she had been told.

Madam Gorski was no stranger to such malice, she had seen her fair share of such in Europe. But she empathized for these girls, knowing full well what would happen to them if they did not deliver what Blue wanted in every performance. Although she did not see it with her own eyes, she knew the Institute and its ways too well to think anything different.

Now, Madam Gorski opened her eyes, attempting to shake these thoughts from her mind. She couldn't afford to think like this, if not for her own good then for that of the girls at the brothel. But still her mind drifted to the two who escaped, SweetPea and Babydoll. SweetPea had always been among the best dancers, yet always protectively hovering over her younger sister. And Babydoll...she was the one who had made the escape plan, the key behind it all. Her dancing skills had caught the early attention of both her and Blue, but for different reasons.

Madame Gorski saw the pain behind the exterior, and she believed that it was because of that pain that the girl was such a good dancer. As the Institute's dance choreographer, Madame Gorski had found that letting the girls act out scenes from their scarring past as treatment, incorporating their pain through their dance. Although she knew what she was teaching the girls to do, and the internal pain that it would bring upon them; allowing them dance as some means of escape was the most she could do for the girls, although most of them never realized. When Babydoll danced, she saw the emotion with which she moved, the underlying fear and anger and pain.

What Blue saw even she did not know. At first Madame Gorski had assumed Blue had been simply infatuated with the girl's grace and seeming innocence. But how he had acted after her escape, his desperation and burning desire to recover her... Madame Gorski feared for the girl, knowing that even in her freedom she could never be truly safe.

Madame Gorski looked again around the bright, empty studio. She shouldn't be here; she should be helping the girls with their performance, getting them in line for each dance scene and costume change. _Blue will suspect something if I'm gone_, she thought, motivating herself into walking. She just needed to grab something from her office first. She was halfway across the floor when she heard a familiar voice, calling her name.

Oo0oO

"Madam Gorski," I began, walking hesitantly across the room. I watched her eyes widen in shock, before she hurried over to me fearfully.

"Baby, what are you doing here, you shouldn't be here you should be-"

"We came back." It was SweetPea who spoke, rounding the corner and walking into the green dance studio. "We came back when we found out Rocket was alive, to rescue her."

I could see the understanding register on the woman's face, only to return to a look of confusion. "Where is she then?"

I saw SweetPea stop, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. "She…she didn't make it out."

"Blue shot her in his office," I explained sadly.

"Blue knows you're here? You can't stay here! You shouldn't have come to see me, you must leave now while you still can," Madam Gorski spoke quickly, urging us to the door.

"We can't leave, we can't let Blue put anyone else through what we were put through." SweetPea demanded.

"You're going to…kill him?" Madam Gorski breathed.

"Not even he deserves that," I said quietly, so much so that I saw Madam Gorski strain to hear me. "We are going to turn him into the police, and expose Blue for the murderer he is."

Madam Gorski stared back at me, a look of grief and pain clear on her face. "I admire your tenacity and bravery, but you cannot do anything," she began tiredly. "Even if you do expose Blue, nothing will change. The only thing that will change is that The Lennox house will come under new management, and events such as this one will simply continue to occur again and again under the next manager. Nothing will change by getting rid of Blue, such is the fate of this cruel place."

"You're wrong. There has to be something we can do!" SweetPea demanded, desperation leaking into her voice.

"I will never lie to you," Madam Gorski said sharply, her eyes shining.

"But there has to be some way that we can prove what is really going on here. The police would not let this place continue in operation if they knew."

"That you are right about, but you could never prove it to the police. This is a mental facility, all visits, even police inspections, are scheduled. So long as Blue knows when and where the police will be here, then they will see nothing but a normal mental institution."

"Then we'll have to show them," I said simply, crossing my arms as I did so. I turned towards Madam Gorski. "When is the next scheduled performance?"

"Tonight. It'll be the first one we had since…the last time you were here," Madam Gorski said.

"Perfect. Here's what we'll need to do."

Oo0oO

"So, how'd it go?" Tyler asked when SweetPea found him where we left him, in an abandoned storage closet doubling as our temporary base. "And where's Baby?"

SweetPea slumped down gloomily on the floor. "We have a plan. And she's working on her part."

"Then why do you look so upset about it?" Tyler asked, sliding down beside her.

"Because it's a damn good plan," she grumbled, blowing a piece of hair that had fallen into her face.

Oo0oO

**A/N: Well there's the chapter. It may not seem like it, but I had to do a lot of research to make sure I really captured Madam Gorski and her feelings and relationships in a way that did her justice. Please review or I will not post the next chapter, that I swear. But I want you to know that I appreciate all reviews (even flames) more than anything, and that is why I threaten not to update. Thanks again to all the readers!**


	20. Things Unravel

Chapter 20: Things Unravel

**A/N: Ok, so I was so excited for this chapter that I wrote it (and obviously posted it) early. But I'll tell you now not to expect my usual week end update, simply because (although I have the next chapter outlined) the details I am still working out. Also, I must warn you; this chapter is going to be a little tricky to keep up with because it shifts from multiple points of view. Many of these scenes take place at different places and times and are not arranged in chronological order, but instead in an order that they flow better. Sorry if it's confusing, but bear with me and you will be satisfied with the results.**

Oo0oO

_Current Time: 7:40 p.m. Performance Time: 20 minutes_

Madam Gorski walked through the front gates, nodding at the guards as they let her pass. _Since when did the institute have guards?_ She thought to herself, shaking off any last traces of hesitation she may have. She had a job to do, and she owed it to the girls to help them bring Blue and the Lennox House to justice, even if it meant losing everything if they failed.

Her grip tightened determinedly around the sealed envelope she held in her hands as she walked down the streets of Brattleboro. As she did so, she felt the eyes of many fall upon her, lingering especially near her chest; a result of the jet black, figure hugging V-neck dress she wore. Instead of feeling embarrassed or nervous as most women would, Madam Gorski only stood straighter. If she was lucky then the dress would also work to her advantage when she delivered the letter, and the police would not question the rush in which they were to come to the institute.

Smiling confidently, Madam Gorski continued down the street.

Oo0oO

_Current Time: 7:25 p.m. Performance Time: 35 minutes_

Blues eyes shot open, and he bolted up in bed. A wave of pain shot through his body, and he gasped as he gripped his stomach in pain.

"Careful," warned the doctor from across the room, "your body is still pumping out the sedative from the tranquilizer dart, so you should feel sore in a few places."

"What. Happened?" Blue managed, still clutching his lower stomach.

"According to some your staff, one of the girls I treated a few days ago-she called herself Rocket-came into your office armed with a tranquilizer gun to defend her friend, who you also had in the office. In self-defense you shot Rocket with your own gun, and she shot hers as well. After that-"

"No, I meant what happened to the other girl who was in my office?" he demanded, impatience heavy in his words.

"I was getting there. While you were unconscious the other girl left your office and met up with another girl who had escaped one of the detainment rooms. They attempted to flee but were caught by the guards before they could make it far."

Blue relaxed a bit. "Good. And what about the boy?"

"Boy?" the doctor echoed, puzzlement passing over his face, "they never mentioned a boy."

Blue breathed out slowly, before gathering his strength and standing from the small, white bed.

"Sir you need to rest-"the doctor began insistently.

"I'm fine," Blue snapped, trekking quickly out of the room. He felt the doctor's eyes on him as he walked, and it took much of Blue's self-control not to wince in front of the doctor. With a great huff he heaved open the door, emerging into an empty hallway.

"Sir!" cried a voice at the south end of the hallway, and Blue turned to see a large guard hurrying down the corridor.

"Jarvis, report, did you capture them?" Blue demanded, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

"Yes sir, the two girls are being held in two separate detainment rooms as we speak," he reported proudly "I caught them myself."

"And what of the boy?" Blue pressed, ignoring Jarvis' second comment.

The man's brightness instantly faltered, and he began to wring his hands nervously. "We…couldn't find the boy. Every exit is and has been manned 24/7, so there's no way he could have escaped. But we still haven't found him yet."

Blue swore under his breath. "Fine, but if you don't find him before the performance tonight, I'll have you fired before you can say a word. Got it?"

"Yes sir!" Jarvis replied in a wavering voice.

Blue scowled slightly. The money and housing he paid these men, even if it was quite less than minimum wage, was the difference between life and death for a few of them. They needed his funds, and he needed their services, so for the most part it was a good system. But despite that, they still couldn't handle the simple task of guarding a few young adults.

Seeing the discussion was over, Jarvis turned to leave, but Blue stopped him.

"One last thing before you go. What room is Babydoll in?"

Oo0oO

_Current Time: 7:30p.m. Performance Time: 30 minutes_

For the 100th time in five minutes I paced the perimeter of the room, my hands anxiously hugging my chest. I had no idea how much time we had, or even if I was lucky enough to have my plan work at all. The stress was killing me, especially now that Blue had captured SweetPea and I (which had _not_ been part of the plan).

My plan had actually incredibly basic, get the police to see what was really happening in the Lennox House and then close it down. Madam Gorski was already on her way to deliver the letter, and Tyler (I assumed) had successfully completed his part of the mission, and was waiting for the arrival of Madam Gorski and the police.

But what good would my plan do if we couldn't expose Blue as well? Assuming my plan worked and the police did close down The Lennox House, Blue would be left completely out of the equation. He could easily convince the police that (like Madame Gorski) had known about the operation but had been blackmailed into silence, leaving the blame on his higher-ups. And of course it worked to his great advantage that any of the girls who would try to expose him were enrolled in the Lennox House for the _Mentally Insane._

I sighed, leaning against a wall and closing my eyes. There had to be some way to expose what Blue had done. Madam Gorski could always testify against him in court, but without a case for the judge to take up…

Before my mind could wander any farther, I heard the unlocking of the door, a moment before it swung open. Standing in the doorframe was Blue, anger clear on his face.

"That was a naughty trick you and your friends played," he began, strolling casually towards me. "and… nobody likes tricks."

Before I could react, his hands shout out, slamming me against the cool wall. I winced as a ripple of pain raced through me, struggling to free myself from his grasp.

"Now, this looks familiar, doesn't it?" he cooed maliciously, his lips dangerously close to mine. My heart hammered in my chest as he spoke, my breath coming out in quick gasps.

"I told you before; I don't like it when people take my toys. All I want is to be happy and play with my toys. That's all I want, THAT'S ALL I WANT! ...But you just won't give up will you? You insist on trying to hurt me, again and again and again. But I'm not even the one you're hurting. Look around you. You're in the exact same position you were so many nights ago, but because of you, because of your own actions, not mine, you have lost so much. Your friends, your innocence, so much loss, just to end up exactly where you were before. If you had only just let it all be, then things would be different. Your friends would be alive, SweetPea would have her sister, and you would not be crying right now."

I sobbed slightly, using all of my energy to try to dam my river of tears. I couldn't let him have me, my regrets, my sadness, he didn't deserve it. He watched me as I managed to stop them, though I still sobbed as I tried to get a handle on my breathing.

"Tonight I have a big performance to put on, and people are expecting a lot, especially after the…disappointment, of the last one. And how convenient, now my star performer has returned," he smiled greedily at me. "Of course, I don't expect you to give in so easily, you proved that many times over. But all you need is some motivation."

At his words, two beefy guards appeared at the door, clutching a defeated looking SweetPea in their hands. From his pocket, one of the guards drew a revolver similar to the one Blue had, and pointed it at her head. I shivered.

"We'll be watching your performance from the audience. Be sure to impress, or I will _not_ hesitate to have Sam pull the trigger."

With that, Blue and the guards left the room, Blue smiling knowingly as they did so. In a moment they disappeared around the corner, just before another group of guards took their place at the doorway.

"We're here to take you to the stage," said a large black guard in the front. I swallowed slowly, still recovering from my conversation with Blue. Seconds later, I was being escorted to the most risky performance of my life.

Oo0oO

**A/N:** **I hope you liked it! Thanks you so much again for all the readers, especially any reviews, for they inspire me to continue and do my best work.**


	21. Breaking Point

Chapter 21: Breaking Point

**A/N:** **Must apologize for the late update, but it is not my fault that every night I am bombarded with homework and tests to study for. Despite that though, this chapter is my longest ever, and I hope you are as pleased as I am. Inspired slightly by the movie "Red Tails" coming soon. (You should all go watch it) **

**Also, where Blue is talking to the audience in this chapter I paraphrased a lot from the Sucker Punch cut scene "Love is the Drug" clip, and took a direct quote from it when Blue says "I want you all to sit back, enjoy the service, the sc-sc-sc scenery; but most of all, enjoy the show." There is also some German in here, which is followed immediately by English sub.**

Oo0oO

I stood quietly in front on the dressing room mirror, brushing my light blond hair into its familiar pigtails. It was just a few minutes before the start of the show, and by now most of the other dancers had gathered behind the curtains. Only a few girls besides me still lingered in the dressing room area, all of them avoiding me; though out of sympathy or fear I did not know.

Of course, when I was brought to the dressing room the ripple of shock that passed through the faces of the other girls was clearly visible, especially when it was instructed that (by Blue's orders) I was to have the lead dance role, and after an introduction dance by the other girls, the stage was all mine. However no one questioned their instructions, most of the girls had seen firsthand what Blue was capable of, and didn't dare defy him.

So once the men left, the seamstress (whose name I would never learn) hesitantly went to work on me, fitting me into a revealing, figure-hugging show outfit. My outfit was a short, white sailor-top with black collar, low cut and with the top buttons undone. I also wore tight tan shorts, black fish nets, and sparkly black heels. I was no longer crying, and the layers of makeup she applied upon me hid any trace that I ever had been. Looking at myself in the mirror I looked…well….like a baby doll; just an innocent toy for others to play with. If our plan didn't work how we had hoped… that was all I would ever be.

"Five minutes til' showtime," Madame Gorski's substitute performance director chirped, peering her dark head around the corner at the last few girls in the dressing room. They quickly put the finishing touches on their outfits, hurrying backstage for the opening number. Turning to the vanity in front of me, I slid on the last price of my outfit, a simple black hair band.

_I have to do this_, I thought, willing myself to stand. _If I don't, then SweetPea-_

I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought. I could not let Blue take the life of another one of my friends, especially one with whom I'd gone through so much with. I could not let Blue win by seeing me suffer, I could not let Tyler and SweetPea die because of me. This is not my story, despite what SweetPea insists. It's hers, and I will fight and die for her happy ending.

Oo0oO

A roar of applause erupted as the curtains closed after the first performance; the crowd whooping and hollering with delight. As the applause began to recede, Blue stepped out from behind the curtain, and another roar of applause burst from the crowd. In response, Blue held up his hands modestly, smiling at the mass of people.

"Thank you, thank you," he spoke confidently into the microphone. "Good evening gentlemen. Now, we have a _very_ special evening in store for you all tonight. And that," he pointed to the curtains behind him, "that was just a taste of what's to come." Here the crowd broke again into applause, much to Blue's delight. SweetPea scowled through her sadness. He was playing it so cool, acting like he had the whole world in his hands. And despite what she wanted to be true, she knew that he truly did. This was his stage, his crowd, his operation, and they were loving every minute of this.

"You're too kind, really. But I say I do see a _whole_ lot of faces out there, some familiar, some not so. So, I won't drone on too much more expect to say I want you all to sit back, enjoy the service, the sc-sc-sc scenery; but most of all, enjoy the show."

Now the curtains pulled open, revealing a dark stage. A single spotlight shone down, blazing through the darkness and illuminating a lone figure. Baby did not wince as the light touched her, even stayed perfectly calm as a few whistles and exclamations arose from the audience.

By this time, Blue had joined the guards and SweetPea in the back of the room, drawing his gun and pressing its cold metal to her head. SweetPea saw Baby's eyes scan the crowd until they fell on her, at which point she locked gazes with SweetPea. Meanwhile, SweetPea drew a shaky breath, trying to maintain composure as she felt Blue's fingers tense around the trigger.

Baby turned back towards the audience, listening as the music began to start up. She swayed slowly from side to side, and SweetPea prayed she kept everyone distracted, at least until Tyler showed up with the cops. She closed her eyes.

Oo0oO

I don't know what I was expecting when I opened my eyes, maybe a snow-covered temple reduced to ruins, or an orc castle burning in the sunset. What I was not expecting was to find myself looking at open sky, or feeling the slap of cold wind across my face. Panicked, I whipped my head about me, before a voice in front of me snapped some sense into me.

"Baby! Clam down!" screeched Tyler over the sound of a now obvious deafening roar.

I blinked, observing my surroundings with now clear eyes. We were seated on a military two-seater fighter plane, Tyler piloting us through the intense wind. All around us, cloudy gray skies stretched as far as the eye could see, the sun or stars nowhere in sight. A frothy black sea churned far below us.

"It's good to see you again," announced a familiar voice beside me. I turned to my right, surprised to see the wise man piloting a similar plane beside us.

"You say that like you knew you'd see her again," Tyler replied, managing to sound annoyed even while yelling.

I ignored his comment. "What are you doing here? I thought you said the last dance was the final one I needed to escape!"

"The _first_ time, it was the final leg of your _first_ escape," he replied knowingly. "Now, look down there," he steered his plane off to the side, revealing an ocean cruise liner treading the sea below. "Down there, a highly respected and infamous war general and his troops are holding a hostage, one of ours."

_SweetPea. _The name flashed in my mind, though I remained silent.

"The hostage is incredibly important to our victory. If they get to the coast with the hostage or kill her, all will be lost," here he looked just at me. "Your job will be to infiltrate the ship and get the hostage out of enemy hands. Tyler will do his best to cover you from the air, but in the end it's all up to you." He locked his eyes with mine. "Are you ready?"

I swallowed, glancing down at the ship below. Somewhere down there was my friend, with whom I'd gone through so much with. We'd fought together through the death of so many others, including her sister. We'd fought through the good times and bad, fought for a freedom that we so long yearned for. And it was up to me to make sure that she got hers.

"Let's go," I said, and in a second Tyler had us in a spiraling descent down towards the ship. I held tightly to the pit's sides, bracing myself against the battering gales. As we came closer to the massive naval vessel, I was able to get a better feel for the ship. From far away, it looked like any old ocean liner, nothing to be concerned with. But up close, it was clear that it was not just any ship. Large guns covered its sides, and sturdy steel exterior coated it like armor. A strange flag flew from its highest tower.

_That must be where SweetPea is_, I told myself, remembering the destination in my mind. Looking back at the sides of the ship, a platform at its back opened up, and dozens of enemy fighter jets were released into the night.

"Damn it!" Tyler cursed, pulling up to avoid their bullets. My ears buzzed as they raced past, and I suddenly wished I had a cap like Tyler's. Meanwhile, he rapidly pressed buttons on the dashboard, lighting it up with a vast array of colored lights. Behind us, the jets had made a U-turn, and were now coming up fast on our tail.

"We've got company!" I yelled to Tyler, gripping the plane harder as he swerved to dodge their attacks.

"I know!" he replied angrily, punching the engine and shooting us off towards the ship. "I can't fight them while you're still in here, but I also can't afford to completely stop to drop you off. You'll have to jump when we get close." He noticed my fearful expression. "You'll be fine. Now, on my mark."

I tensed my muscles, still desperately trying to hold on as he inched closer and closer to the ship. But the jets seemed to pick up at we were doing, and tried to force us into the ship's side by boxing us from all directions but forwards. Tyler struggled desperately to break ranks, but the bigger planes kept forcing him in as the ship's side approached at nauseating speed.

_This can't be how it ends, _I said to myself, anger and fear bubbling inside me. I had fought too hard for too long to die by crashing into the side of a ship, helpless to do anything as Blue's forces lead up to our death. I would not let SweetPea's story end this way, nor would I allow mine. Screeching angrily, I unbuckled myself and jumped onto the nearest enemy plane, surprising the driver and tossing him out of the cockpit. Seizing control of the jet, I banked the plane away from Tyler.

"Tyler now!" I called to him, alerting him of the opening. Quick as lightening he steered our out of the trap, and the other jets (distracted by our stunt) crashed in a fiery explosion against the ship's exterior.

"Woo-hoo!" he hollered in celebration, flying beside me. "You gonna be able to get yourself on the ship in that thing?"

"Just cover me and I'll be fine." I said, sounding more confident then I actually felt.

He nodded, steering his plane higher into the air to distract the new wave of jets that had just emerged from the ship. Turning to my own plane controls, I yanked the wheel to the left, rising along the ship's hull until I was level with the deck. Surprisingly, it was empty besides a few turrets, which I quickly took out with my ship's guns.

I opened the cockpit door, preparing myself for the leap. _Here goes nothing._ I thought to myself, and with a heave I launched myself out of the plane.

I hit the deck hard, rolling across the barren floor. Unmanned, my ship spiraled out of control, landing with a crash in the sea below. I stood up from the deck, brushing off my skirt and grabbing a gun that I'd slung over my shoulder. After throwing in a fresh magazine, I headed for the door that lead to the top tower. It was locked, to be expected, but with a swift kick it swung inwards. Revealing about 30 armed men with their guns trained at me.

My finger exploded on the trigger, tearing through my clip and the men as well. But their numbers overwhelmed me, and soon they were on top of me, pinning me to the ground and tossing my weapons aside. Then, everything went black.

Oo0oO

When I woke up, I knew immediately I was in the highest tower, mostly because I was facing a window that overlooked everything else on the ship. My hands were bound, and I quickly rose to my feet to assess the situation.

"Gut, du bist endlich wach," (Good, you're finally awake) a voice from behind me spoke, making me turn. Standing there was Blue, or at least my mind's form of Blue, a strange green goblin thing covered in warts and hairs. In his hands was SweetPea, unconscious and heavily bruised.

"What did you do to her? Let her go!" I screeched, lunging for him before two guards grabbed me.

"Tsk tsk tsk, nicht unkooperativ Mädchen zu sein. Oder dein Freund und du wirst ide an diesem Schiff sterben." (Tsk tsk tsk, do not be uncooperative girl. Or else your friend and you will die on this very ship.) He chastised, aiming a gun at her head.

"What do you want," I said, trying to sound strong though I felt my own power dwindling.

"Was ich will? Alles, was ich will, ist, diesen Kampf zu gewinnen, zu beobachten, Sie und Ihre Kameraden fallen durch meine Hände." (What I want? All I want is to win this battle, to watch you and your comrades fall by my hands.) Here he broke into laughter, and then aimed the gun at my head. "Beginnend mit Ihnen." (Starting with you.)

Again he laughed, but his laughter was cut off by the roar of a plane coming closer and closer to the window. And it was not just any plane; Tyler was behind the wheel, cursing mockingly at the general as his plane flew closer. With one final screech from Blue, the vision cut short.

Oo0oO

"Alright, nobody move!" screeched several loud voices. At once I was woken from my dream dance, and suddenly I was panting back up on the stage, over-looking a frightened crowd. The police had arrived, drawing their guns and commanding people to stay still. Of course this inspired the opposite, and many of the men watching me dance were now screeching and fleeing from the cops. I looked towards the doorway, relief and happiness pouring from me as I saw Tyler and Madame Gorski there.

However, before I could register true joy, I was distracted by the shouts of protest coming from one man in particular.

"No! You can't fucking do this! This is my institute and I'll run it however the hell I want to!" Blue screeched as he watched his staff submit to or be cuffed by the police. "All of you, how did you-" He stopped, looking up at me on the stage. "You? You did this? You, You!" With another screech, he pulled out his gun again. My heart stopped as he aimed it for me. Could I dodge a bullet from that far away? Would it even reach me? Before I could answer my own questions he loaded it and fired. But not at me. Not at the police. But at the shocked, surprised girl who had been dropped on the floor.

Oo0oO


	22. Guardian Angels

Chapter 22: Guardian Angels

**A/N: Last chapter of Backstab, not including the next chapter, which is actually more like an Epilogue then a chapter. Must apologize, the beginning is a little rough, meaning I kinda rushed it a bit…but thanks so much to all of my wonderful reviewers and followers, and please enjoy. **

Oo0oO

I sank to my knees, hands wrapped around my chest as the sound of the gunshot reverberated across the room. In an instant, a mob of policemen tackled Blue, forcing him to the ground and into a pair of thin, silver handcuffs. He was still writhing and cursing, mostly at me, but by this time the police had forced him into the cuffs, and were dragging him out of the theatre.

Meanwhile, I stood kneeling on the stage in horrified silence, salty tears beginning to spill from my eyes. For weeks since my arrival at the Lennox House I had watched my friends die around me, because I had been stupid enough to drag them into my escape plans in the first place. I actually believed that, that we could win, that at least one of us would taste freedom once more, return to our family or siblings and leave this horrible place behind. But instead I had led every last one of them to their death. They died for the dream of escape, of a better life out of the Lennox House. Amber…Blondie….Rocket…. I couldn't bring myself to think of her name.

In blind grief I tumbled down the stage; half walking, half falling to where SweetPea lay unconscious on the ground. She wasn't moving, and though I did not yet see blood, I found myself unable to move, only sit. Reaching out, I grasped her hand between mine, holding it to my chest as I continued sobbing.

"Please SweetPea," I begged, "please you can't die. This is your story, and it's not over yet. Not until you get home, and see your family. Not until you live your life the way you deserve to, and fall in love and live happily ever after!" I sobbed, desperately shaking her. "You have to get up!"

When silence met my pleas, I sobbed harder, still holding onto her hand. After what felt like an eternity of stillness, I suddenly felt her stir.

"What…Baby? What happened….?" she questioned, sitting upright and noticing my tears.

"SweetPea you're….alive," I breathed. "Bu-but how? I saw you get shot. Blue aimed the gun to your head and….."

"I…don't know," SweetPea blinked, looking as surprised as I felt. "I heard the bullet go off and I remember blacking out, but that's all."

We sat there for a second in silence, both of us still unable to comprehend what exactly had just happened.

"SweetPea, Baby!" a voice called, drawing us both to our feet. Tyler wandered over from a group of officers, whose eyes followed him curiously.

"Tyler you're alright!" SweetPea exclaimed, bolting up and throwing herself into his arms. For a moment Tyler looked like she'd caught him off guard, but in less than a second he hugged back.

"I saw everything that happened, while I was waiting for the police," he explained, drawing back. He turned to SweetPea, "I'm just glad you're alright. When I saw Blue pull the trigger and you fell to the floor I…I thought it didn't work. I thought I lost you."

"What do you mean?" I asked quizzically.

"While I was waiting for Madam Gorski to come with the police I had some extra time. So, as I side project I kinda snuck into Blue's office and replaced his bullets with blanks in case of emergency."

"What's a blank?" I shook my head in confusion.

"A blank is like a fake bullet. It looks and feels like one, but when you pull the trigger you get the boom and the effect but not the actual bullet. They use them in movies instead of real bullets."

SweetPea and I stood back in awe, looking at Tyler with renewed respect. SweetPea was the first to recover her speech.

"Tyler you…you saved me. I could have died but….you saved me," she rambled, tears forming at the edges of her eyes.

For a moment I thought Tyler was going to make some cheeky, cool remark, but he surprised us all, by leaning down and kissing SweetPea. The first time they kissed, back when we were parting ways when we first came back to the Lennox House, it had a kiss goodbye, something done in the case that they never saw each other again. But this was different. This time there was so much love and affection, the kind of love you only see in movies and books. But here it was, happening right in front of me, a love so deep like that. The last time I felt love like that was the last time I saw my mother, the last time I held my sister when she slept. That kind of love was rare in this world, that true unmistakable love that is meant for only very few to share.

It was a while before either pulled away, both of them looking quite so flustered when they did that I couldn't help but smile. They both turned to look at me then, and I really looked at them. They were the closest thing I still had to family in this world. We had gone through so much together, yet we had all known each other for such a short amount of time. And in that time we had grown stronger together, and in the end risen to expose Blue once and for all.

"Baby, SweetPea, Tyler!" Madam Gorski said, rushing over from a circle of officers. "It worked, you did it. Blue's lawyer is insistent in taking the matter into court, though everyone knows who will lose. It's hard to tell, but Deputy Samuels said anything less than a life sentence would be unthinkable," she explained happily.

"What about the girls at the Institute?" Tyler piped up suddenly, glancing anxiously between SweetPea and I.

"The most severe of cases are being transferred to different mental Institutions across the country; so I heard. However, I also managed to convince him that Blue has been keeping a few girls longer than he was legally binded to because of their allure to the men who come here, and that it was their duty to release them. I mentioned you two as a few of them."

"They just let you do that?" SweetPea gaped.

"Oh SweetPea, you forget that as well as choreographer I am also psychiatrist. And as long as I say you're mentally healthy, with a doctor's note of approval you're free to go," she announced, looking over our excited faces. "Now, if you'll excuse me there is still more business to be taken care of," she said mysteriously, strolling back to the officers.

Tyler snickered under his breath at the intrigued faces of the men, but said nothing.

"So…. what now," I asked, my brain still trying to grasp that it was all over.

"I don't know," Tyler admitted, "my whole life I've lived helping girls escape from this Institute, looking for an opportunity to stop my father. But now that it's over…" he faded off. "What about you SweetPea?"

"….I made a promise to my sister Rocket, when she almost died the first time. That I'd return home to our mother and father, and tell mom that she always loved her."

Tyler and I nodded our understanding, and then he turned to me. "And you?"

I stopped, for once thinking about something other than survival or taking down Blue. What could I do? My family was mostly dead, and I doubted my distant relatives would want/recognize me. In fact my closest living family was…._My step father,_ I thought to myself, a jolt of anger and grief sparking through my body. He was the reason all of this had happened, why I got sent to the Institute and all of my friends died. This whole time I'd been blaming myself, when he was the reason for so much of this pain. _He'd_ bribed Blue to make sure the high roller was reserved for me, _he_ sent me to the Lennox House, _he killed my sister ._I tried to shake off the anger and hate that was building on me, but it plagued me. I knew what I had to do.

"I'm going to find my step-father," I announced, "and I'm going to bring him to justice once and for all."

SweetPea and Tyler looked at me, noting the emotion and intensity in the way I spoke. "You're going to go off on another suicide mission to bring evil to justice? Huh, I can't decide if you're the noblest or stupidest person I've ever met in that manner." Tyler said jokingly, the romantic caring Tyler of a few moments ago already long forgotten.

"Baby, are you sure you're gonna be ok?" SweetPea asked, concern tainting her cheery mood.

I nodded solemnly. "I will. I have to."

SweetPea smiled, and so did I. Now wasn't the time to be looking towards the unsure future, or the definite horrors of the past. For now at least, we all existed in this single moment in time. The three of us stood side by side. After exchanging glances, we walked together towards freedom.

Oo0oO


	23. Epilouge: Sweet Dreams

Epilogue: Sweet Dreams

**A/N: A direct quote from ****The Five Flavors of Dumb**** by Anthony John; "…lips touched… It was the smallest, gentlest, most earth-shattering kiss in the long and glorious history of kisses, and it took [my] breath away."**

Oo0oO

It was an unnaturally warm and sunny day, the sun peering from behind small wisps of clouds on a baby blue sky. A slight breeze blew, rustling a few stray leaves and scattering them across the ground, dry from the much too long absence of rain. Side by side, a boy and a girl walked down a deserted sidewalk, holding hands; not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. They smiled as they strolled down the street, saying nothing but instead simply enjoying one another's company.

Suddenly, a petite black car sped by, causing the boy to flinch as it did so. "Some wounds never heal," he mumbled, squeezing the girl's hand tighter. A lifetime of hiding in the shadows had taken its toll on him, even now that he had nothing to hide from.

"It'll pass," the girl assured, though her voice betrayed her optimism.

"I know. It's just...It's hard to believe it's all over. Ever since he took my mother from me, all I've ever lived for was to make Blue pay for what he did, at any price," he turned towards the girl. "When I first met you and Baby and heard your story, all I wanted was to convince you to help me take down Blue. Even when I took the bullet for Baby, part of me thought that if I died at his hands, that you would take revenge on him yourselves." He explained, bitter regret tainting his voice. Then he smiled. "But as I got to know you better...I didn't want to hurt you. I knew the risk that I played by directing you back to the Institute, but I was so blinded by my rage that I lost sight of what's important. But sometime in the Institute, you snapped me out of it; you showed me what's important…" he faded off. "I love you SweetPea."

SweetPea blushed slightly, stopping and turning to look at Tyler. His chocolate brown eyes were as dark as ever, full of love and emotion. "I don't know when I truly started loving you. Maybe it was when you saved my life at the Institute, maybe it was when we first kissed, and maybe it was even when I first met you. But all that matters is that I love you right now, and I always will."

Then, their lips touched. It was the smallest, gentlest, most earth-shattering kiss in the long and glorious history of kisses, and it took their breath away. When they pulled back, it wasn't because they wanted to stop, rather, they knew that they would be spending many more years together, and have plenty of time to share their affections. They continued to walking down the street, making easy conversation to kill the time.

"So Baby went to Germany?" Tyler questioned simply.

SweetPea nodded. "After we were released from the Lennox House she got a call from her mother's lawyer. Before Baby was taken to the Lennox House she made a statement to the police about what happened; her mother's death, her step-father burning the will, him killing her little sister. Of course no one believed her, especially because Baby's fingerprints were on the gun and her mother never spoke of where she hid the will. Since everyone assumed her mother didn't make a will, Baby's step-father had run off with all of the money, and went north to New York. But he died in a bar fight turned sour, and after Baby's release from the Lennox House it all went to her."

"How much?" Tyler questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"$80,000."

"Wow, I remember she told us she inherited a lot of money, but $80,000…"

"And you already know the rest. She wanted to start over, to live her life the way she wanted to live it. So she moved to Germany, and now she's attending a university there." SweetPea smiled at her friend's good fortune, though it was hollow.

Catching her reluctant smile, Tyler squeezed her hand tighter. "We'll see her again, don't worry." Suddenly, he stopped, looking up. "We're here."

Tyler and SweetPea stood just outside the entrance to the station, the noontime rush of crowds flowing around them like a river. The station was old, probably among the oldest buildings in the city, with a simple steel building painted all blue, the paint peeling off in places to reveal a brown underside. A large letter board hung from the high roof, displaying the arrival and departure times for trains. Digging into his pocket, Tyler drew out a good portion of the money Madame Gorski had left them with, walking over to the ticket station.

"Two for Augusta," he told the man, looking back at SweetPea.

The man behind the counter was young, with shaggy brown hair and a thin narrow face. He eyed the two suspiciously, raising a cigar to his mouth and puffing smoke rings. "Augusta's a long ways away from here. You sure you have the money to cover it?" he asked, though his eyes seems to ponder whether or not he should call the cops.

"It's all right Will, they're regulars," said a voice.

Turning around, SweetPea's eyes widened to see the old man, suited up in the same dull green outfit as the man's behind the counter. His voice was friendly, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oh yeah, then how come I never seen 'em around before?" Will pried, his eyes narrowing.

"Because they never come on your shift day, which today isn't," the old man indicated to a calendar that hung sideways in the ticket office. Will studied it closely, before his eyes widened and he shamefully walked out of the stand, replaced in a heartbeat by the old man.

"Two for Augusta?" he asked, pulling up the tickets and exchanging them for Tyler's money.

"Thank you," Tyler said kindly, handing one ticket to SweetPea and keeping the other for himself.

The old man nodded, smiling as he watched as the pair walk over to the train tracks, where their train sat in waiting.

"All aboard!" yelled the conductor, motioning for Tyler and SweetPea to get on. Holding hands, they quickly boarded, disappearing behind the train's gray sliding door. The train's whistle puffed twice, the brakes releasing their grip on the wheels and allowed it to slowly begin chugging north. The wheels maintained a steady beat as they began to move faster, pulling the train out of the station and into the countryside beyond.

_**The End**_

**A/N:** **The end! This has been an awesome 23 weeks writing this fanfiction, and I couldn't have done it without every single one of my readers. A special shout out to WolfieLovesSilently, my close friend and editor in writing this fanfiction, who has still been a very big help despite her denials. (She's responsible for creating the idea of Tyler, making him SweetPea's love interest, and what Blue wanted from them). I know I've said it every chapter, but thank you so much to all of my readers. **


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